Medical Consultants meet on Sunday over planned national strike

The Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) would be meeting on Sunday to consider proceeding on industrial action across the country as the federal government undermined the grievances of the members.

President of the association, Professor Ken Ozoilo, in Abuja on Friday noted that the medical practitioners had issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, expiring on August 16.

Prof. Ozoilo had declared: “MDCAN issued an ultimatum to (the) government – a 21-day ultimatum that is going to expire on Monday.

“This ultimatum is to give leeway for … a resolution of the issues at hand.

“Of course, if this is achieved, there will be no reason to proceed on strike. Our requests were very specific, and I will say that what we have achieved thus far … were far from resolution at this point in time.”

The Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) had in a letter to the Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) complained of the directive of the commission to the Accountant General of the Federation for the removal of  the members from the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), among other demands.

The MDCAN President had decreed that the government has failed to meet the demands made by the medical association.

He lamented that the in spite of the leadership of the union making several communications to the government on the matter and other issues, there has been no solution in sight.

According to Professor Ozoilo: “Of course, you know that the primary among our demands is the withdrawal of the letter written by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) that directed universities that were remunerating their clinical lecturers on CONMESS to desist from that practice.

“This is the immediate cause and other issues have been there. The National Executive Council of our association is going to meet on Sunday.

“We have an emergency NEC meeting where we will x-ray the progress that’s so far made and take a decision.”