Healthcare services in Bwari Area Council, FCT, have come to a standstill due to an ongoing workers’ strike now in its third month. The strike has made it hard for residents to get basic medical care.
The strike, led by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), began in March. It is over the non-payment of the new ₦70,000 minimum wage and other benefits. Public schools and health centres across the six area councils in the FCT have all been affected.
Residents in Bwari say they are struggling. Speaking to 21st Century Chronicle, Mrs. Liyatu Adamu, a mother of two, said her children have been sick for over two weeks.
“We can’t go to the primary health centre. Private hospitals are too expensive, and drugs from pharmacies cost too much,” she said.
Another resident, Luka Ango, warned of a growing health crisis.
“Antenatal care, immunisation, and childbirth services have stopped. This could cause needless deaths,” he said.
Mrs. Ruth Aboyi, a teacher, said the situation is especially hard for people with conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure who need regular care.
NULGE Chairman in Bwari, Emmanuel Ishaku, said all efforts to resolve the issue with council officials have failed. He added that the FCT branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has written to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, giving a seven-day deadline to act.
If nothing is done, the union may protest at the minister’s office.
As the strike continues, life is getting harder for many families, and calls for government action are growing louder.
