The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Ekiti State, has threatened to shut down all government health facilities in the state if the Federal Government fails to accede to the demands of the national body of the association before the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum issued.
The Ekiti State Chairman of the Association, Dr. Ifedayo Oreyemi, disclosed this on Wednesday while addressing newsmen in Ado-Ekiti. He affirmed that Ekiti NMA is fully prepared to join the proposed industrial action that would be called by the National body after the expiration of the ultimatum.
The National body of NMA had issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to withdraw what it described as an “obnoxious and insensitively provocative circular” released through the National Salary Income and Wages Commission on June 27, 2025. The circular pertains to the supposed upward review of allowances.
According to Dr. Oreyemi, the circular flagrantly contravenes previous Collective Bargaining Agreements that emphasized the existence of relativity in the remuneration of doctors with other healthcare workers.
He noted that the government’s action clearly demonstrates insensitivity and hypocrisy, given the previous agreements entered into with the NMA.
Aside from the withdrawal of the circular, Dr. Oreyemi highlighted the eighteen demands of the association, which must be met to avert the impending strike.
The demands include:- Immediate withdrawal of the circular on review of allowances for medical/dental officers in the federal public service
- Immediate correction of consequential adjustments in line with the agreements of 2001, 2009, and 2014 CBAs
- Immediate correction of the relativity agreed between CONMESS and CONHESS
- Immediate payment of Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) for 2025 and upward review of the MRTF
- Immediate convocation of the long-overdue Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations on CONMESS
Other demands include:
- Implementation of scare skills allowances for medical consultants
- Approval of specialist allowances for all doctors
- Approval of excess workload allowances for all doctors
- Compliance with CBA of 2021 on hazard allowance
Dr. Oreyemi condemned the statement made by a government spokesman on National TV, alleging that former President Buhari would have died long ago if he was treated in Nigeria.
He described the statement as reckless, emphasizing that medicine is universal and Nigerian doctors are among the best physicians and surgeons worldwide. He urged Nigerian politicians to invest in the country’s health sector.
