The National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission, has temporarily suspended the migration of members of Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MEDCAN) from the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) to the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS).
The decision to suspend the migration of the consultant doctors followed the intervention of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the NSIWC, Ekpo Nta.
The NSIWC had on Friday, August 13, 2021 through a letter, asked office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to halt further action on an earlier circular directing the movement of the doctors to CONUASS following the intervention of Sen Ngige.
A copy of the letter which was signed by the chairman of NSIWC, Nta and obtained by our reporter reads: “The Commission is in receipt of a request by the Honorable Minister of Labour and Employment who is currently conciliating the threat to withdraw services by MDCAN and the interim order of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in suit No. NICN/ABJ/145/2021 – Dr. Christopher Lucky Akpa and others Vs. National Salaries Income and Wages Commission and others, for a stay of action in respect of our letter of April 22, 2021 for those already enrolled, pending the outcome of both conciliatory meeting and the matter in court.”
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MEDCAN is a group of senior doctors who are medical Consultants that teach and guide resident doctors in their professional operation towards becoming specialists and consultants in their area of specialisation. The association had on July 26, 2021 issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to correct the unwarranted removal of consultants from CONMESS to CONUASS salary scale by their employing universities who had earlier placed them on CONMESS upon appointment about 10 years ago.
It was further gathered that the doctors approached the National Industrial Court and secured an injunction against the NSIWC and the Accountant – General of the Federation. Both government agencies refused to implement the ruling of the court, labour sources said.
However, it was gathered that Ngige who is also a doctor, waded into the matter on August 6, 2021 knowing full well that these consultants are the only ones now offering services in the various hospitals and medical centres, following the indefinite strike embarked upon by the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD).
Ngige also wrote to the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning not to effect the content of the NSIWC letter pending the conciliation and conclusion of the matter in court. According to another source, MEDCAN has also been duly informed by both the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment about the new directive suspending the migration of their members to CONUASS.
The association is expected to meet on Sunday (today) to decide whether to withdraw services on Monday August 16 as stated in their ultimatum to the Federal Government.
