By Ayodele Abere
The leadership of Ekiti State Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), has vowed to paralyse the health sector if the Federal Government fails to meet their demands following the 21-day ultimatum earlier issued by the National Body.
The Ekiti State Chairman of the Association, Dr. Ifedayo Oreyemi, who disclosed this on Wednesday while addressing newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, stated that such would further take a heavily devastating and fatally damaging toll on already deprived Nigerians.
Highlighting the demands which among others include: Immediate withdrawal of the circular on review of allowances for medical/dental officers in the federal public service dated 27th June, 2025. Immediate correction of consequential adjustments in line with the agreements of 2001, 2009, and 2014 CBAs. Immediate correction of the relativity agreed between CONMESS and CONHESS, and compliance with relativity in all professional allowances with the 2001 CBA, particularly regarding calk duty allowances, and the payment of all accrued backlogs. Immediate payment of Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) for 2025 and upward review of the MRTF to reflect prevailing economic realities, and Immediate convocation of the long – overdue Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations on CONMESS.
Following the circular issued by the federal government on the supposed upwards review of allowances, the NMA leadership described as flagrant contravention of the previous collective bargaining agreement that emphasized the existence of relativity in the remuneration of doctors with other healthcare workers.
According to Dr. Oreyemi, “What we have seen clearly demonstrated is the insensitivity and hypocrisy of the government to keep to terms with the agreements previously entered into with Nigerian Medical Association”.
Noting that Medicine is universal, and that Nigerian doctors are amongst the best physicians and surgeons anywhere in the world, he berated the statement credited to the Media Adviser to the late president, claiming that the former president would have been long dead if he had patronised Nigerian hospitals.
The NMA leadership therefore pointed out that it is exclusive responsibility of the government to make adequate budgetary provisions for the funding of world-class infrastructure in the hospitals.
