Permanent Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Mr. Olusade Adesola has commended nurses in the FCT for their sacrifice and exemplary dedication and commitment to service, describing them as key in the Administration’s effort towards delivering quality healthcare services in FCT.

The FCTA Permanent Secretary 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, which terminated at the Area 11 Secretariat Complex of the FCT Administration.

Mr. Adesola who specifically appreciated the FCT nurses for not embarking on strike, despite the challenges, remarked that the FCT Administration is impressed with the nurses’ level of commitment and diligence in the discharge of their duties.

The FCTA Permanent Secretary 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 a 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.”

The Permanent Secretary, therefore assured that the FCT Administration will work very hard to fulfill the promise made by the immediate past Minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa 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.

He said, “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, the President of the National Association of Nurses and Midwives, FCT Council, Mrs. Deborah Yusuf explained that the walk for life demonstration is designed to walk the talk about the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle which pose serious risk to the health of an individual.

The President who also appreciated the FCT Administration for resolving issues of career progression of the nurses, assured that FCT nurses will continue to shun strike and remain steadfast in the discharge of their duties.

She said, “Strike is not always the way. We believe in constructive dialogue, superior argument, and lobbying. That is what we stand for. People will call us names but we don’t care because we don’t want to increase the suffering of Nigerians. That is why when others go on strike almost on a quarterly basis, we remain at duty post.”

The President, however, appealed to the FCT Administration to provide palliatives in the area of transportation of the nurses, to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal.
Other officials who joined the Permanent Secretary in receiving the nurses include the Acting Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretariat, Mr. Noel Haruna, the Director General, FCT Hospital Management Board, Dr Mohammed Kawu, the Director, Human Resources, Mohammed Bashir, Director of Nursing, Mrs. Leo Grace, amongst others.