The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has given the federal government a 21-day ultimatum to withdraw the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission?s (NSIWC) circular on the review of allowances for medical and dental officers in the federal public service dated 27th June, 2025.

The president of the Association, Prof. Bala Audu, gave the ultimatum during a news briefing in Abuja, on Wednesday.

He said doing so is critical to avoid disruption in health services in the country.

He condemned the circular purportedly issued to address the consequential adjustment of allowances under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for medical and dental practitioners in Nigeria.

He said, ?The circular is grossly inadequate, misleading and constitutes a flagrant violation of the spirit and letter of the agreements painstakingly reached during the collective bargaining process between the NMA and the federal government of Nigeria.

?We want to bring this to the attention of Mr. President, His Excellency, President Bola

Ahmed Tinubu, the national assembly and the general public whom we are under oath to always protect and promote their wellbeing. We reject this new circular in its entirety and demand a new circular that reflects previous agreements reached.

We have also sent the correct table as requested by relevant organs of government. However, we are dismayed that it was discarded and we were never contacted in any discussion before the unilateral circularisation.

?We hereby expect that attention will be given to our demands within next 21 days to avert disruption in the health services rendered to the Nigerian People.?

The NMA president said other demands of the association include:

-Immediate correction of consequential adjustments in line with the agreements of 2001, 2009, and 2014 CBAs.

Immediate correction of the relativity agreed between CONMESS and the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) and compliance with relativity in all professional allowances in accordance with the 2001 CBA, particularly regarding call duty allowances, and the payment of all accrued backlogs.

-Immediate settlement of all outstanding arrears of 25/35% CONMESS, clinical duty and accoutrement allowances owed to medical and dental practitioners.

-Immediate payment of Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) for 2025, and review of the MRTF to reflect prevailing economic realities.

Immediate convocation of the long-overdue Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations on CONMESS.

-Immediate release of the circular on clinical duty and other allowances for honorary consultants as agreed in January 2024.

? Implementation of scarce skills allowances for medical consultants.

Approval of specialist allowances for all doctors.

-Approval of excess workload allowances for all doctors.

Adoption of relativity in all professional allowances in accordance with the 2001 CBA, particularly regarding call duty allowances.

-Compliance with CBA of 2021 on hazard allowance.

? Implementation of subsisting CONMESS circular of 2024 for house officers.

Universal application of the CONMESS across all Federal and state ministries, departments and agencies to combat internal brain drain.

-Provision of comprehensive health insurance coverage for all medical and dental practitioners.

Immediate constitution of management boards for federal hospitals to enhance governance and operational efficiency as provided in the Acts for Federal Tertiary Institutions.

-Issuance of a circular implementing the reviewed retirement age for medical and dental practitioners.

-Implementation of robust welfare and well-being packages, including comprehensive health and social support for healthcare workers.

-Immediate reversal of the appointment of other healthcare professionals as Consultants in hospitals, to ensure patient safety and uphold standards of care. (Daily Trust)

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