Subscribe: Gist E-Paper
The Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) has issued the Federal Government a fresh 21-day ultimatum to address long-standing demands affecting medical and dental lecturers across the country.
The University of Ilorin branch of the association declared its support for the national leadership's decision in a communiqué issued after its congress on Saturday.
The communiqué, signed by the Branch Chairman, Prof. Mohammed Abdulkadir, and the Secretary, Dr. Adebayo Oloko, said members reviewed the status of unresolved issues and endorsed the resolutions reached by the association's Emergency National Executive Council (NEC).
According to the union, the 21-day ultimatum, which expires on August 31, is intended to compel the government to conclude negotiations and implement agreements reached with the association.
NAMDA expressed disappointment over what it described as the Federal Government's slow response and lack of urgency in resolving issues affecting medical and dental academics in public universities and teaching hospitals.
Among its major concerns are delays in concluding negotiations with the union, poor implementation of agreed resolutions, and inadequate attention to medical and dental education, training and research.
The association warned that Nigeria's worsening shortage of doctors and dentists requires greater investment in medical education and improved support for academic staff.
It also decried the continued migration of medical professionals and lecturers to other countries, saying the trend is weakening undergraduate and postgraduate medical training as well as healthcare delivery.
NAMDA stressed that better welfare packages and improved working conditions are essential to retain qualified academics and sustain the quality of medical education in the country.
The union noted that its members had exercised patience in the interest of maintaining stability in universities and preventing disruptions to students' academic activities.
While acknowledging the intervention of the Department of State Services (DSS) and other stakeholders, the association insisted that such efforts must produce concrete, measurable and time-bound results.
NAMDA urged the Federal Government to use the 21-day window to resolve all outstanding issues, warning that failure to do so could prompt further action in line with directives from its national leadership.
The association also appealed to students, parents and the general public to prevail on the government to address its demands promptly and avert any disruption to medical education, research and healthcare services.
NAMDA is the registered trade union representing medical and dental lecturers in Nigeria's public universities and teaching hospitals.
