The Nigerian Medical Association, Ekiti State chapter, has threatened to join a nationwide strike should the Federal Government fail to reverse a contentious circular on doctors’ allowances recently issued by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
Chairman of the association in Ekiti, Dr. Ifedayo Oreyemi, disclosed this on Thursday while speaking with journalists in Ado Ekiti.
He said the branch is fully aligned with its national body, which has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to rescind the circular or face an industrial action that could paralyze government hospitals across the country.
The circular in question, referenced SWC/S/04/S.218/11/646 and dated June 27, 2025, has sparked outrage among doctors nationwide.
It reportedly outlines an “upward review of allowances,” which the NMA has described as misleading and a violation of long-standing agreements on doctors’ remuneration.
Dr. Oreyemi described the circular as “provocative” and “in violation of previous collective bargaining agreements that clearly established salary relativity between doctors and other health professionals.”
He added, “The action of the Federal Government shows a lack of commitment and hypocrisy in honouring agreements it freely entered into with our association. We cannot continue to work under policies that undermine our professional standing.”
The NMA’s demands include the immediate withdrawal of the controversial circular, correction of the distorted salary relativity between the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), and payment of outstanding backlogs of entitlements.
Other key demands are the disbursement and upward review of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), the release of circulars on clinical duty and other allowances for honorary consultants agreed upon in January 2024, and the implementation of scarce skills and excess workload allowances for all doctors.
Dr. Oreyemi further urged political leaders to prioritize investment in Nigeria’s health sector, saying: “Our doctors are among the best globally. Yet, the same politicians who sideline local healthcare are the first to jet off to foreign countries when ill. It’s time we fixed our health system.”
He emphasized that the association remains resolute and will not hesitate to shut down public hospitals in Ekiti if the Federal Government fails to act before the ultimatum lapses.
“We are ready to join the strike when it is called. Our demands are legitimate, and we expect nothing less than full compliance,” he asserted.
The national body of the NMA has maintained that if the Federal Government fails to respond before the deadline, the association will embark on a nationwide strike, disrupting medical services in public health facilities across the country.
