Medical lecturers set for strike as 14 NAMDA branches back action

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The Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics said 14 of its 17 branches have voted in support of a three-day warning strike scheduled to commence on Tuesday, next week, as directed by the National Executive Council.

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The association, in a statement issued by its Acting Secretary-General, Prof. Aniekan Peter, in Uyo on Wednesday, said the proposed warning strike would be total and comprehensive across medical schools in the country.

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Peter, a professor of neuroanatomy in the Department of Health Sciences, University of Uyo, lamented the Federal Government’s lack of response to the plight of medical lecturers, despite the dearth of medical lecturers and the worsening “Japa” syndrome, adding that members of the association had been pushed into an avoidable strike.

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“14 NAMDA Branches have voted to embark on industrial action as directed by NEC. The warning strike is scheduled to commence Tuesday, next week, and will be total and comprehensive across medical schools in the country.

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“Despite the dearth of medical lecturers and the worsening “Japa” syndrome, the Federal Government appears to have continued to ignore the legitimate concerns of medical lecturers. Medical lecturers are therefore being pushed into an avoidable strike,” the statement said.

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Peter listed critical issues affecting the association to include the failure of the Federal Government, through the Ahmed Yahale Committee, to conclude negotiations on the conditions of service of medical lecturers; failure to formally document the payment of medical lecturers under the CONMESS salary structure; and non-payment of MCATA.

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Others include non-payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), non-payment of Excess Workload Allowance and non-payment of Professorial Allowance.

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He said it was unfortunate that the Federal Government allowed “these unavoidable” issues to escalate at a time when the country is experiencing a severe shortage of medical lecturers, wondering if it is a crime for medical lecturers to stay behind and serve their country despite the harsh economic realities.

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While calling on the Federal Government to “return to the negotiating table and resolve the issues before the warning strike becomes inevitable”, Peter condemned the Federal Government’s determination to mass-produce doctors as a way of addressing the shortage occasioned by migration.

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According to him, it was wrong for the Federal Government to mass-produce doctors without investing in the doctors and medical lecturers who train them.

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“We say no to slave wages for medical lecturers. Because of the Japa syndrome, the Federal Government appears determined to mass-produce doctors to address the shortage created by migration—yet the welfare and remuneration of the medical lecturers who train these doctors cannot be ignored.

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“You cannot mass-produce doctors without investing in the doctors and medical lecturers who train them,” the statement added.

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