News Investigators/ The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Kwara Chapter has rejected the review of allowances for medical and dental officers in the federal public service by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission’s (NSIWC).
The Chairman of the association in Kwara, AbdulRahman Afolabi stated this on Monday while speaking at a news conference organised in Ilorin.
“The NMA Kwara state branch strongly condemns and rejects the NSIWC circular dated June 27, 2025, regarding the review of allowances for medical and dental officers in federal public service.
“We also fully support the 21-day ultimatum issued to the federal government to address all welfare issues affecting doctors in Nigeria,” he said.
Prof. Afolabi expressed concern over the implications of the circular, which he said, “attempts to adjust CONMESS but inadvertently or perhaps deliberately erodes relativity”.
According to him, it also worsens workforce inequity, and threatens the already fragile medical workforce landscape in Nigeria.
Prof. Afolabi expressed the association’s disappointment at the NSIWC’s decision to disregard the collective bargaining agreement reached with the NMA (2001, 2009 and 2014).
He warned that the circular issued has the potential to undermine morale and productivity in an already overstretched health system.
He observed it can also accelerate brain drain, particularly among doctors, and worsen the doctor-to-patient ratio, which is currently 1:5,000, far below the World Health Organisation’s recommended 1:600 ratio.
Similarly, Prof. Afolabi noted that this can further spark industrial disharmony at a time when stability is desperately needed.
The chairman therefore reiterated the support for the national body of the association in its rejection of the current Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) implementation.
“We demand immediate suspension of the circular, pending a stakeholders’ roundtable and call for restoration of relativity in line with agreements reached in previous reforms,” he said.
Prof. Afolabi also urged the government to declare a national health manpower emergency to address migration and workforce attrition.
He also proposed an independent Salary and Welfare Commission for healthcare professionals, devoid of political manipulations.
He appealed to the federal government to address all welfare issues affecting doctors in Nigeria, including immediate payment of Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) for 2025, and a review of MRTF to reflect prevailing economic realities.
He also called for approval of specialist allowance, as well as excess workload allowance for all doctors, among others.
NAN