The Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) has issued the Federal Government a 21-day ultimatum to resolve long-standing salary and welfare disputes or face an indefinite nationwide strike that could disrupt medical education in federal universities.
The association said the notice followed more than two years of unsuccessful negotiations over remuneration and the implementation of agreements affecting medical academics.
Addressing newsmen after the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, NAMDA President Dr Nosa Orhue said the union would embark on an indefinite strike if the government failed to address its demands within the 21-day period.
He said the union expected negotiations to conclude before the ultimatum expired, warning that the NEC would reconvene to decide on the next course of action if there was no breakthrough.
Orhue said the association remained dissatisfied that renegotiation of the 2009 agreement had stalled since April 9, despite repeated engagements with the government.
He alleged that while other university-based unions had benefited from improved welfare packages, medical academics had been excluded from the implementation of earned academic allowances, professorial allowances and other entitlements.
According to him, the continued disparity in remuneration between university-based medical lecturers and hospital consultants performing similar clinical duties has worsened the brain drain affecting Nigeria’s medical education sector.
He explained that medical academics combine teaching, research and patient care, including surgeries and hospital administration, but earn less than their counterparts in teaching hospitals despite possessing the same qualifications and practising licences.
Orhue insisted that the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) remains the only acceptable salary framework for medical and dental academics, warning that any attempt to replace it with the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) would trigger industrial action.
He also rejected the migration of members above 65 years from CONMESS to CONUASS, describing the policy as a demotion that results in financial losses for affected academics.
The association further demanded the implementation of special pension benefits for retired hospital-based academics and opposed the National Universities Commission’s requirement that medical academics obtain PhD qualifications.
Despite the dispute, Orhue commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for initiatives aimed at improving university education and praised the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, for backing salary parity for medical academics and communicating the position to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
