MDCAN seeks the dismissal of the UNIZIK Pro-Chancellor; declares a seven-day warning strike if FG fails to comply
By Onome Naomi
The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) National Executive Council (NEC) has called on the federal government to promptly remove Ambassador Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe from his role as pro-chancellor and chairman of the Governing Council at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, declaring a 7-day warning strike, effective from Monday, November 18, 2024, if the government fails to comply with their demand.
In a statement released in Jos following the National Executive Council’s (NEC) extraordinary virtual meeting on Monday, November 11, 2024, to discuss the 21-day ultimatum given to the federal government, MDCAN stated that the strike will impact all services provided by its members in all public hospitals and universities in Nigeria.
They charged Mbadiwe with disobedience and failing to implement the Ministry of Education’s order voiding the university’s most recent vice chancellor appointment. The doctors said they were shocked that these appointees were still parading self in the various positions as against the people’s objections.
In order to address the current shortage of vital personnel for training, research, and healthcare services in the nation, the government has failed to harmonize the retirement age of medical consultants to 70 years, according to the communiqué, which was jointly signed by President Prof. Aminu Mohammad and Secretary Prof. Daiyabu Ibrahim.
NEC also expressed disapproval of the government’s inability to apply the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), which attempts to address the present disparities in clinical lecturers’ pay, entry-level salaries, and member pension contributions, to all Nigerian universities. Additionally, the communiqué urged the federal government to create a comprehensive sample ad for the Vice-Chancellor’s position.
They contended that Ahmadu Bello University Zaria’s recent vice chancellor’s ad ought to be used as a model for choosing vice chancellors in the future at universities all over the nation.
To guarantee that CONMESS is applicable to all medical and dental officers, the experts also called for the emoluments paid to medical lecturers to be standardized with the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS).
The communiqué states that NEC will meet again once the seven-day warning strike notice has passed in order to review the situation and the progress made so that they can decide on the next course of action.
