.Insist on collective bargaining agreement with FG
By EDISON Okereke
As the 21-day ultimatum given to the Federal Government by the medical/dental practitioners in the country expired yesterday at 11:59 PM, the physicians in Imo State have joined their colleagues to insisted on the total withdrawal not suspension of what they call “a circular purportedly issued by the government to address the consequential adjustment of allowances under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS, for medical and dental practitioners in Nigeria.
In a press conference in Owerri, the state capital, the Imo State NMA branch chairman, Dr Echeta Bartholomew Uzodimma, with Dr Ohiri John (vice chairman); Dr Ibekwe Nnaemeka Uzodimma (Secretary); Dr Chidi Obiesi (immediate past chairman) and Dr Okeke Nnamdi (immediate past secretary), cited the statement credited to the association’s national president and secretary-general professor Bala Audu and Ben Egbo respectively, marshalling the 18-point demands of the medical practitioners.
According to the NMA, “Our demands include but not limited to:
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 ane compliance with relativity in all professional allowances in accordance with the 2001 CBA,
particularly regarding call duty allowances,and the payment of all accrued backlogs; immediate settlement of all outstanding arrears of 25/35% CONMESS, clinical duty and
accoutrement allowances owed to medical and dental practitioners; immediate payment of Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF)for 2025,and review of
the MRTF to reflect prevailing economic realities; immediate convocation of the long-overdue Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations on CONMESS; immediate release of the circular on Clinical Duty and other allowances for honorary
consultants as agreed in January 2024; implementation of scarce skills allowances for medical consultants; approval of specialist allowances for all doctors; approval of excess workload allowances for all doctors; adoption of relativity in all professional allowances in accordance with the 2001 CBA,
particularly regarding call duty allowances; compliance with CBA of 2021 on hazard allowance; implementation of subsiting CONMESS circular of 2024 for house officers; universal application of the CONMESS across all Federal and state MDAs to combat internal brain drain; provision of comprehensive health insurance coverage for all medical and dental practitioners; immediate constitution of management boards for federal hospitals to enhance governance and operational efficiency as provided in the Acts for Federal Tertiary Institutions; issuance of a circular implementing the reviewed retirement age for medical and dental practitioners; implementation of robust welfare and well-being packages,including comprehensive health and social support for healthcare workers.
immediate reversal of the appointment of other healthcare professionals as consultants
in hospitals, to ensure patient safety and uphold standards of care.”
Continually, the medical practitioners state “As a responsible and responsive association that understands and respects values, we have
painstakingly and repeatedly engaged in dialogue with the relevant agencies of government
and the Federal Ministry of Health.
“We have exhibited so much goodwill and intend to continue same as long as we get our
appropriate and timely dues.
“We hereby expect that attention will be given to our demands within next 21 days to avert disruption in the health services rendered to the Nigerian People.”
The medical practitioners chorused that it is only the implementation of the 18-point demands that can stop the planned industrial action.
