National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Taiwo Niyi
Clinical lecturers at the University of Ilorin have commenced an indefinite strike to protest what they describe as longstanding salary discrepancies.
The lecturers, represented by the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) and the Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA), declared the action in a statement on Tuesday, signed by Prof. Olatunde Ibrahim, Chairman of MDCAN at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), and Prof. Mohammad Abdulkadir, Chairman of NAMDA, along with other association officials.
According to the lecturers, the strike represents a total withdrawal from all academic and clinical activities, including lectures, practical sessions, bedside teaching, exams, and official meetings.
They stated, “The strike action will continue until our members are migrated and paid using the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) as enshrined in relevant government circulars and implemented by most federal universities, with payment of arrears from July 2023.”
The lecturers, who issued a 21-day notice on October 7, noted that University of Ilorin’s clinical lecturers receive only about half the salaries of their counterparts at other federal universities.
“This discrepancy has persisted for more than five years,” they stated, pointing out that similar challenges affect clinical lecturers at other Southwestern universities, including the University of Ibadan, the University of Lagos, and Obafemi Awolowo University.
Efforts to resolve the issue peacefully, they said, have not been successful, as the University’s administration has not forwarded their demands to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) of the Accountant General’s Office.
They further emphasized that “inadequate pay” has driven many lecturers to leave for other institutions or even relocate abroad.
While the strike is limited to their academic roles at the University, the lecturers assured that their clinical duties at UITH will continue uninterrupted.
