The Federal Capital Territory Administration has acknowledged the sacrifices made by nurses in the territory, describing them as key in the administration’s effort towards providing quality healthcare services in the FCT.
The permanent secretary of the FCTA, Olusade Adesola, specifically commended the FCT nurses for not embarking on strike action despite the challenges, noting that the FCTA is impressed with their level of commitment and diligence in the discharge of their duties.
Adesola, who stated this while receiving members of the National Association of Nurses and Midwives, FCT Council, during their ‘walk for life’ procession to mark the FCT 2023 Nursing week, noted that the FCTA is impressed with the nurses’ level of commitment and diligence in the discharge of their duties.
He said, “For us, the FCT Nurses are indeed our future. They have been serving us. Since I came into FCT on the 3rd of September 2020, there has been no single day that a nurse was on strike.
“At times, I even ask, do we really have nurses in this FCT? Why are they not also on strike? Your President came to me and said, ‘if we go on strike, what will be the outcome?’, I said people will die and it may even be your person. She said, ‘then why would we want to do that.
“However, our silence is not weakness. It is our strength, rather than weakness.
“And we want to thank you. We agree with you. It (your silence) is a point of strength and we assure you that we will be driven in our relationship with you by a deep appreciation of the sacrifice you are making.”
He assured that the FCT Administration will work very hard to fulfill the promise made by the immediate past minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammad Bello, to provide operational vehicle to the nursing association in the FCT.
He equally disclosed that approval has been given for the payment of hazard allowance to the FCT Nurses, including arrears that were delayed by administrative bottlenecks.
According to him, “Nurses are our future. The future is what you may not see perfectly today and that is why there are anxieties around the future. But when a group of people come together and say we are the future, the commitment they have made is that come rain, come shine, you can bank on us.
“The theme of this year’s Nursing Week, assures us that nurses in the FCT have said you can bank on us.”
Earlier in her remarks, President, FCT Council of the National Association of Nurses and Midwives, Mrs. Deborah Yusuf, explained that the walk for life demonstration is designed to walk the talk about the dangers of sedentary lifestyle which pose serious risk to the health of an individual.
