Medical workers at the National Hospital in Abuja on Tuesday protested the lack of a functional condition of service for the workers in the last fourteen years.

The workers accused the management of reneging in its promise of applying a condition of service put in place by the federal government to ensure a better welfare package for workers. They also demanded the sack of the Director of Administration of the Hospital, identified as Odimkpa, for the delay in payment of the entitlements.

However a circular from the federal ministry of health indicates that the said condition of service they relied on is not in existence.

The workers accused the management of the Hospital of unfair practices as it relates to their conditions of service. They complained that while other civil servants enjoy benefits as stipulated by law, the same cannot be said of the workers in the national hospital.

The protesting workers have resolved to down tools for three days as a warning to the management. The hospital staff are expected to come to the hospital every day during the strike, and stand outside the admin block from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.

But spokesperson for the National Hospital, Tayo Hastrup urged the protesting workers to exercise patience, especially as the minister of health has swung in to action to resolve the crisis within the shortest period of time.

It is not known whether the action taken by the workers will lead to a resolution of the crisis, however Nigerians especially those living in the FCT will want the crisis resolved as soon as possible, given a huge number of residents using the medical facility.