Abia State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has strongly rejected the circular issued by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) concerning the review of allowances for medical and dental officers. The association described the circular as a gross violation of existing agreements reached through previous collective bargaining with the Federal Government.
Speaking to journalists in Umuahia on Friday, the Abia NMA chairman, Dr. Ezuruike Ezinwa, criticised the move by the NSIWC, saying it amounted to a unilateral adjustment that ignored long-standing negotiated frameworks under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS). He said the circular has further worsened morale among medical practitioners, many of whom are already struggling under the weight of poor remuneration and deteriorating work conditions.
Dr. Ezinwa expressed deep concern that the welfare of doctors continues to be neglected at a time when the healthcare sector is already under pressure, particularly due to the rising wave of emigration of Nigerian doctors in search of better opportunities abroad. He noted that the move by the commission only adds to the frustration of the few medical professionals still serving in Nigeria and warned that such disregard for existing agreements is both dangerous and a threat to the nation’s health sector.
He affirmed the total alignment of the Abia NMA with the 21-day ultimatum issued by the national body of the NMA, led by Professor Bala Mohammed Audu. The national association has demanded an immediate withdrawal of the controversial circular or risk a nationwide industrial action.
Dr. Ezinwa also reiterated the Abia NMA’s full support for the 18-point demands of the national body, which include the immediate correction of salary relativity issues, settlement of owed allowances, disbursement and review of the Medical Residency Training Fund for 2025, and a return to proper collective bargaining on all matters related to CONMESS and professional entitlements.
He concluded that failure to act on these issues in good faith would not only destabilise the health sector further but could also lead to widespread consequences for healthcare delivery in the country.
