Posted on: Thu 10-07-2025

The Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) has delivered a stern warning to the Federal Government, issuing a 15-day ultimatum to meet a series of long-standing demands or face sweeping industrial action across the nation’s medical schools and healthcare institutions.

The ultimatum was announced on Wednesday, July 10, following a meeting of NAMDA’s National Executive Council (NEC) held in Abuja on July 5. The association also threw its weight behind the 21-day ultimatum earlier issued by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), amplifying growing discontent across the health sector.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, NAMDA President, Dr. Nosa Lance Orhue, said the association was left with no choice but to issue the warning due to the government’s persistent inaction on critical issues affecting medical academics.

According to Dr. Orhue, the grievances include the non-payment of seven months’ arrears of clinical duty and accoutrement allowances, ongoing pension irregularities, and a severe manpower shortage plaguing Nigeria’s medical training institutions.

“All the issues raised in our trade dispute with the federal government remain unresolved,” Dr. Orhue lamented. “Our members continue to suffer from neglect and systemic discrimination in terms of remuneration and working conditions.”

One of the most contentious issues is NAMDA’s demand for a minimum salary of N3 million (approximately S2,000) for the lowest-paid medical academic. The association cited the federal government’s reported plan to deploy Nigerian doctors to St. Lucia under similar salary arrangements as justification for their demand, calling the disparity “insulting and unacceptable.”

Dr. Orhue also condemned what he described as a discriminatory hazard allowance circular, calling for its immediate reversal. He further decried the continued non-payment of salaries withheld during the 2022 strike, despite NAMDA members not being affiliated with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

In addition, the association took issue with a recent circular from the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC), demanding that it be withdrawn and replaced with a version that reflects established collective bargaining agreements.

Among other demands outlined by the NEC were:

• A comprehensive review of the 2009 Federal Government academic staff agreement;
• Correction of the relativity between the CONHESS and CONMESS salary structures;
• Separation of basic medical science degrees from clinical faculties to reduce lecturers’ workload.
• NAMDA also reiterated support for the Nigerian Medical Association’s broader calls, which include:
• Universal implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) across all levels of government;
• Payment of specialist and scarce skills allowances;
• Enforcement of retirement ages—70 for medical consultants and 65 for other healthcare professionals.

The union further insisted on the recall and regularization of doctors who were dismissed from the National Hospital, Abuja; the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja; and other institutions, in accordance with directives from the National Assembly.

Dr. Orhue warned that unless urgent and concrete steps are taken to address these demands within the 15-day window, the country could be plunged into a deepening crisis affecting both the health and education sectors.

“We have exhausted all diplomatic options,” he declared. “The time has come for the government to act decisively—or risk an imminent and widespread industrial crisis.”

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