NEWS DIARY ONLINE
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has given the Federal Government two weeks to increase the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS).
The association made this known on Saturday in a communique issued at the end of the extra-ordinary council meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) held in Abeokuta, Ogun state.
The communique which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) was signed by the President, Dr Innocent Orji, the Secretary-General, Dr Kelechi Chikezie and the Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr Musa Umar.
It said that the increment should be to the tune of 200 per cent of the current gross salary of doctors and also be in addition to the new allowances included in the letter written to the Minister of Health in 2022 for the review of CONMESS.
According to the association, it observed that in spite of several engagements with the Federal Government on the need to upwardly review CONMESS, which was last reviewed over 10 years ago, there are no changes.
“The Federal Government has neither called NARD to the negotiation table nor taken any tangible step in addressing the issue.
“This is against the background of the dwindling economic situation in the country, the serial abysmal decline in the value of the Naira, the imminent removal of fuel subsidy and the consequent damaging effect on the cost of living in the country.
“There have been previous ultimatums issued to the government by NARD on account of this problem of the review of the CONMESS salary structure.”
It added that the previous Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) on CONMESS stated clearly that the salary structure would be due for review after five years, but this has not been done since the implementation in 2014, though the approval was given in 2009.
