The South West zone of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has issued a 21-day ultimatum to universities in the region to start paying Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) to clinical lecturers.
This is stated in a press release jointly signed by its President, Dr. Abdulkareem Salawu, and its Secretary, Dr. Omotola Obajolowo.
The association, in a statement issued after its zonal meeting, lamented CONMESS's prolonged denial of salaries to clinical professors of southwestern universities.
MDCAN noted that universities in the region have not yet begun paying, despite its implementation in approximately 75 percent of federal universities nationwide.
The association expressed concern over the use of the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) instead of the CONMESS scale, which has been approved for medical and dental officers since 2008.
He stated that this situation has led to significant salary shortfalls, reduced pension contributions, and negative effects on the recruitment and retention of clinical faculty.
The association further noted that this problem has jeopardized the training of doctors and health professionals in the region.
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He added that the university managements in the southwest have remained inflexible, despite numerous efforts supported by official circulars.
MDCAN calls for the immediate harmonization of clinical faculty salaries with the CONMESS scale and the payment of four years of arrears to address perceived injustice.
The association warned that failure to meet its demands at the end of the 21-day ultimatum could lead to a large-scale industrial strike.
MDCAN called on vice-chancellors, pro-chancellors and relevant stakeholders to urgently intervene to avert an imminent crisis at universities in the region.