Doctors Reject New Pay Circular, Issue 21-Day Ultimatum

<blockquote>The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has outrightly rejected a new circular from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), warning that it violates existing agreements and threatens to destabilise the nations health system.<br><br>Addressing <a rel=ugc href="https://thebureau.com.ng/doctors-reject-new-pay-circular-issue-21-day-ultimatum/"><b>The Bureau Newspaper</b></a> during a press briefing in Abuja, NMA President, Professor Bala Audu, criticised the circularreferenced <b>SWC/S/04/S.218/III/646</b> and dated June 27, 2025describing it as misleading, inadequate, and capable of triggering industrial unrest.<br><br>We reject this circular in its entirety. It violates previously signed agreements and aggravates existing tensions among dedicated medical professionals, Audu said.<br><br>The circular proposes a revised structure for allowances of medical and dental officers in the Federal Public Service, but according to the NMA, it undermines years of collective bargaining and reneges on commitments from agreements reached in 2001, 2009, and 2014.<br><br>The Association has issued a 21-day ultimatum, threatening a nationwide withdrawal of services unless the Federal Government addresses its concerns urgently.<br><br><b>Demands by the NMA</b><br><br>Among its demands, the NMA is calling for:<br><br>1. Immediate withdrawal of the NSIWC circular.<br><br>2. Payment of all outstanding arrears, including 25/35 percent CONMESS entitlements, clinical duty, and accoutrement allowances.<br><br>3. Release and review of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund.<br><br>4. Issuance of circulars on clinical duty and honorary consultants allowances.<br><br>5. Implementation of specialist, scarce skills, and excess workload allowances.<br><br>6. Enforcement of the 2021 hazard allowance agreement.<br><br>7 Uniform adoption of CONMESS across all federal and state MDAs to curb brain drain.<br><br>Professor Audu stressed that the Association had made several good-faith efforts to engage relevant government agencies, but had been consistently ignored.<br><br>He urged President Bola Tinubu, the National Assembly, and the Nigerian public to take note of what he described as an attempt to shortchange doctors and undermine healthcare delivery.<br><br><b>Looming Health Crisis</b><br><br>The NMA warned that failure to meet its demands within the 21-day window would result in the withdrawal of medical services nationwide, a move that could cripple the countrys health sector.<br><br>The Nigerian doctors are not unreasonable, Audu said. But our goodwill is not infinite. We cannot continue to operate in an environment of neglect and exploitation.<br><br>The press conference concluded with a call on government stakeholders to act swiftly and honour prior agreements to prevent another major disruption in Nigerias fragile healthcare system.<br></blockquote>Source: <a rel=ugc href="https://thebureau.com.ng/doctors-reject-new-pay-circular-issue-21-day-ultimatum/">https://thebureau.com.ng/doctors-reject-new-pay-circular-issue-21-day-ultimatum/</a>
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