Babatunji Wusu –
- MDCAN praises President Bola Tinubu for intervening in the crisis at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka.
- Tinubu’s decision to dissolve the governing council and remove the Vice Chancellor came after MDCAN’s warning strike over the exclusion of medical professionals from the VC selection process.
- MDCAN calls on Tinubu to address outstanding issues, including the full implementation of the consolidated salary structure for doctors and the payment of salary arrears.
The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has praised President Bola Tinubu for his swift intervention in the ongoing crisis at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka. The President’s decision to dissolve the university’s governing council and remove the recently appointed Vice Chancellor, Prof. Benard Odoh, as well as the registrar, came in response to a protest by MDCAN members.
The move follows a warning strike by MDCAN, initiated three days earlier, to protest the exclusion of medical professionals from the pool of candidates eligible for the position of Vice Chancellor. Dr. Amaechi Nwachukwu, Chairman of the MDCAN branch at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for his decisive action. He lauded the President for listening to the concerns of the association, calling it a demonstration of leadership and commitment to doing the right thing.
“We are happy that President Bola Tinubu has taken decisive action over the crisis in UNIZIK,” Nwachukwu said. “Just three days ago, MDCAN began a warning strike and issued a press release demanding the sack of the Vice Chancellor, dissolution of the council, and a re-advertisement of the Vice Chancellor position to include medical professionals. We are pleased that the President has shown he wants things done correctly.”
Nwachukwu also urged the President to address other outstanding issues, including the implementation of a consolidated salary structure for medical professionals across universities and parastatals. He raised concerns over discrepancies in salary payments, particularly regarding the 35% increase in the basic salary for doctors, as well as arrears that have yet to be paid by some institutions.
“We are also calling on the President to look into the other issues we raised,” Nwachukwu added. “Doctors, whether working in universities or other public institutions, should be paid according to the consolidated salary structure. We have also noted that some institutions are not paying the agreed salary increase, and arrears remain unpaid. We urge the President to address these matters.”
