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COVID-19: FCT public health workers threaten strike over owed 7 months allowance

Published

5 years ago

December 24, 2020

This is not a good time for the country’s health system with the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic ravaging countries all over the world.

The Public Health workers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are not motivated to deliver their best.

The FCT Administration owes the Health workers seven (7) months hazard allowance, a situation that has demoralized the workers, it was learnt.

The workers who are at the forefront of combating Covid-19 have only been paid the N50, 000 hazard allowances for three months -March to May 2020.

According to the few of the Health workers who volunteered to speak, though, under the condition of anonymity, the administration has been using subtle blackmail to keep them working and quiet.

They said what we hear every time the issue comes up is that the allowance remains a privilege and not a right.

Besides, the authorities are fast in reminding them of their monthly salaries that is still running.

The workers also complained about the inferior Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) supplied to them.

The PPE, they chorused “are fake, substandard and unsafe for the kind of work they expect us to carry out. Yet, no one will listen.”
They explained that times at the point of removing the PPE, it gets torn, which further exposed them to danger.

Their fear became heightened when the Director of Public Health landed in the isolation Centre.

“Despite the kind of treatment we receive from the authorities, we are still doing our job. But it is incumbent on them to do the needful and not continue to cajole us.

“Everybody knows that we are at the forefront of the exposure as we deal with patients of the virus yet we are denied our allowance on the excuse that there is no money for now.

“At times when we request for our allowance, we would be told that it is a privilege and not a right. So we should not push it too far.”

Apart from the hazard allowance been owed, the workers said the administration is still owing promotion arrears since 2016.

“Also imagine the kind of PPE they supplied for the work. They even exposed us the more. The PPEs are either fake or inferior yet we don’t have a choice than to use it. Look now, the Director of Public Health has found himself in isolation Centre. The nature of his work also exposes him.

“So you can see the nature of the work we do. Nobody around us is safe, yet we are not given our dues as at when due. Some of us were even optimistic that the arrears would be paid with our salaries but we were disappointed. We will now go back to our families that there is nothing to show for the overtime and risk work we have been doing for the past seven months. It’s unfair but what can we do.”

Meanwhile, the FCT administration has reactivated the Idu isolation Centre as a result of the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, while other centres, Asokoro, Karu are expected to come up as well.

The centres were shut following the reduction of incidences of the virus in September 2020.

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Nigeria’s Historic Bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games: A Call for National and Global Support

Published

5 days ago

September 30, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

Nigeria is poised to make history as it seeks to host the Centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030, a monumental opportunity that promises to transform the nation’s economy, infrastructure, and global standing.

More than a sporting spectacle, the Games would serve as a catalyst for development across multiple sectors, leaving behind a legacy of national pride and sustainable growth.

The benefits of hosting the Games extend far beyond the sports arena. Nigeria stands to gain both empirical and non-empirical advantages, with direct, indirect, and induced impacts that will touch every corner of society. Infrastructural development will take center stage, with new facilities such as indoor sports halls, conference centers, and improved road networks reshaping urban landscapes while strengthening the nation’s capacity to host future international events.

Economic growth is another significant dividend. Over 10,000 jobs are expected to be created, spanning construction, facility management, event planning, and tourism services.

The hospitality industry will undergo major improvements as hotels and resorts are upgraded to meet international standards, while local restaurants, lounges, and tourist attractions will see a surge in patronage from international visitors. Small and medium enterprises, particularly in the transport, finance, and food service sectors, will become some of the greatest beneficiaries, as the Games generate new demand and expand opportunities for local businesses.
The Commonwealth Games will also accelerate the growth of Nigeria’s sports industry.

Investments in training facilities, coaching, and talent development will inspire a new generation of athletes, ensuring long-term benefits that extend beyond 2030, a major focus of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
At the same time, the process of preparing for the Games will create opportunities for Nigerians to learn new crafts, acquire technical skills, and engage in global-standard event management, thereby strengthening human capacity and innovation across industries.

Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the Nigeria Sports Commission, and Hon. Bukola Olopade, the Director General, have been widely recognized for their tireless and visionary leadership in repositioning Nigeria’s sporting sector.

Their commitment to facilitating infrastructural development and strengthening grassroots sports development has laid the foundation for Nigeria’s bold bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Under their leadership, the NSC is fostering strategic partnerships and driving innovation in sports administration, they have demonstrated the nation’s readiness to stage an event of such global magnitude.

Beyond the tangible gains, the hosting of the 2030 Commonwealth Games carries profound symbolic value. It would be a moment of unity and pride, a chance for Nigeria to showcase its cultural richness, resilience, and excellence to the world.
As a centenary edition, the Games would stand as a historic milestone not just for the Commonwealth but for Nigeria itself, cementing its place on the global stage as a capable, ambitious, and forward-looking nation.

The gains from hosting the Commonwealth Games can never be undermined or overemphasized. This is Nigeria’s time to step forward and show the world our resilience, and excellence. We call on every Nigerian, across sectors and communities, to support this noble aspiration.

Nigeria’s pursuit of the 2030 Commonwealth Games is a vision for transformation, a blueprint for national development, and a legacy project that will inspire generations to come.

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