From Jude Owuamanam, Jos
The National Executive Council of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigerian (MDCAN) and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) have issued strike notices to relevant stakeholders to address their beleaguering demands.
On the part of MDCAN, the consultants gave the federal government a 21-day ultimatum over discriminatory advertisement.for the position of vice chancellors
According to them, failure to do so, they shall not guarantee continuation of services.
This was contained in a statement issued in Jos at the end of the extraordinary virtual meeting of National Executive Council (NEC) signed by President Prof Aminu Mohammad and Secretary Prof Daiyabu Ibrahim.
The statement directed its members to take lawful steps not limited to withdrawal of services but legal options where
the advertisement for the position of the office of vice Chancellor is discriminatory and disenfranchises the medical and dental teachers.
Parts of the statement reads, “NEC resolves that any unlawful and discriminatory posture to holders of the Medical and Dental Fellowship qualifications will no longer be tolerated.
“The Medical and Dental doctors further stressed, “All members where such discriminatory adverts are released have been directed to take necessary, lawful means to restore their rights as provided for in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
“NEC also resolved that it is unacceptable for any University in Nigeria to benchmark the requirements for the office of a Vice Chancellor to the attainment of a PhD, without recognising the Medical and Dental Fellowships peculiar to the Medical profession as an academic and professional qualification which more than suffice wherever PhD is required.
They further decried the failure of Government to harmonise the retirement age of Medical Consultants
to 70 years, especially in the face of increasing needs for both academic and
professional duties of these Medical and Dental specialists.
ASUP at a press briefing addressed by Zone B President Lumpye Innocent Simji at the Plateau State Polytechnic, Jos campus revived the suspended 15-day strike notice it gave to the federal government over the non review of the contentious and suspended document entitled scheme of service for polytechnics and the non release of conditions of service.
They’re also piqued by the non release of the second tranche of the NEEDS assessment intervention funds.
ASUP said that the federal government had not kept faith with the agreement to review the contentious document, which led them to suspend the the strike notice in the first place.
Simji said, “Specifically, our Union extensively reviewed some disturbing issues affecting the polytechnic sector in her last NEC meeting held in Abuja.
“These issues includes but not limited to the sustained reports of impunity and disrespect of clear provisions of the Federal Polytechnics Act, different edicts establishing state owned institution s, and other instruments of governance in the sector particularly as it affects appointment of principal officers in Federal and State Owned Institutions as well as other items of governance in polytechnics.
“Non review of the contentious and suspended document tit led scheme of service for polytechnics and the non release of conditions of service.
“Intrusion of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) into the regular functions of the Academic Boards of Polytechnics in the admission of Higher National Diploma students in the Nigerian Polytechnic System
“Non capturing of the peculiar academic allowance of members in the budget for sustained payment in the planned post IPPIS era. and refusal of state governments to implement the 25/35% salary review for members and non release of the arrears of same in Federal Polytechnics.
“Non release of the owed CONTISS 15 Migration arrears to members in the lower cadre and non concussion of the ASUP/FGN 2010 agreement renegotiation process and non payment of promotion arrears in State and federal institutions and non-implementation of promotion in some state owned institutions.”