The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has announced that the Deputy Minister of Health and Social welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate, will submit a memorandum to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) advocating for the harmonisation of the retirement age for medical advisers to 70 years.
Furthermore, Professor Pate and the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, will jointly send a memorandum to the Presidential Pay Commission calling for the application of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for medical lecturers across the country.
The association launched a seven-day warning strike on November 18 to enforce these demands but called it off six days later following government intervention.This came after the resolution on the position of the Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, which was one of MDCAN’s major pending issues.
MDCAN President, Prof Muhammad Muhammad, confirmed the progress of the memo, saying the association had reviewed the draft and taken his opinions into consideration. While the exact status of the memo was unclear, he expressed hope that ministers would submit it to the FEC soon.
The association stressed the importance of delivering on commitments made during the mediation process. MDCAN’s next meeting is scheduled for 20-25 January 2025 and the group warned that further action may be taken if their demands are not met.
They called on the government to act immediately to address issues surrounding the harmonisation of retirement age and pay.