The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, yesterday said it has postponed its planned faceoff with the Federal Government over certain unmet demands by four weeks. NMA, through its President, Dr Osahon Enabulele, made this known in Abuja at a media briefing.

Enabulele said leaders of the association, comprising its National Executive Council, NEC, met in an emergency meeting in Abuja to review the 21- day ultimatum issued the Federal Government three weeks ago on the doctors’ demands.

He noted that the association considered the prompt response of the Federal Government to the issues brought before her by the association.

“NEC also appraised the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reached at the end of the conciliatory meeting held between the Nigerian Medical Association and the Federal Government Negotiating Team on Monday, September 9, 2013.

“NEC further noted the formal inauguration of a committee headed by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation on Friday, September 13, 2013 by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, with a mandate to look into the issues raised by the NMA and make recommendations to government within four weeks.

“NEC also reviewed the persisting and widening circle of irregularities in the remuneration of her members, especially occasioned by the implementation of the integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), despite previous assurances by the Federal Government to rectify the problems,” he added.

Enabulele noted that NEC expressed dismay over the “untold hardship brought to bear on hardworking medical professionals and their dependents on account of the non-payment of several months of earned wages due to the problems inherent in the current implementation of IPPIS,” He stressed that leaders of the association welcomed some developments in the MoU and urged the NMA negotiating team to continue its dialogue with government.

He, however, informed that NEC resolved that at the expiration of the four weeks extension, the association shall reappraise the commitment of the Federal Government to her self-determined times lines for the implementation of the MoU and take appropriate actions as she deems fit without further warning.

While commending the Federal Government for setting up the Yayale Ahmedled Presidential Committee on harmony in the sector, the group urged that government keep fate with the timelines set for the actualisation of the MoU signed with it “in order to build the association’s confidence in the system.”

NMA had, among other demands, requested the Federal Government to inaugurate the Governing Board of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN). It also called on the Office of the Surgeon-General of the Federation to help handle medical fitness or otherwise of political leaders in Nigeria.