Dental Association issues 3-day warning strike notice

The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Chapter says its members will commence a three-day warning strike over the retirement letters issued to untenured doctors on Grade Level (GL) 17.

In a letter to the Minister of FCTA, Mr. Nyesom Wike, the doctors said that the strike would begin at midnight on Wednesday.

The letter is titled ‘Notice of a Three-Day Warning Strike and a Call for Immediate Withdrawal of Retirement Letters of Untenured Doctors on GL 17’ and signed by MDCAN Chairman, FCTA, Dr. Emmanuel Musa, and the Secretary-General, Dr. Uko Ekaette.

The letter, which was made available on Tuesday night in Abuja, said that the decision was reached at an emergency congress meeting.

“This decision was arrived at after the failure of efforts to reach an amicable resolution following engagement with the office of the FCTA Establishment and the Permanent Secretary prior to the release of the retirement letter.

“Permit us, sir, to request your prompt intervention in the misinterpretation and misapplication of the circular on revised Public Services Rules (PSR) (2021 Section: 020909), policy tenure.

“It is directly applicable only to tenured office holders to unjustifiably retire our members who hold untenured positions as medical consultants on GL17.

“Contrary to the circular emanating from the office of the Head of Service on the same matter, the circular Ref no. FCTA/HRM/S141145/vol 1 of Aug. 9, 2023, endorsed by the permanent secretary, FCTA has attempted to include medical consultants on GL17 in tenured positions.

“We would like to state categorically herein that the medical consultant position on GL 17 has never been regarded as a tenured position. In support of this, there was a precedent of an exception for Medical Consultants in clinical service.”

The doctors explained that the FCTA was the only administration or ministry that had misinterpreted, misapplied, and implemented the circular in Nigeria.

“Hope you are not being sabotaged, sir, and assuredly, if this is allowed to sail, the entire health care system will collapse.

“We hereby call for an immediate withdrawal of the compulsory retirement letters served to our members who have not attained their retirement by year of service or age.

“We look forward to your immediate and urgent intervention to resolve this burning issue”, the letter said.

NAN reports that a memo had been sent from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) on July 27 to ministries, departments, and Agencies to ensure compliance with the newly revised rules.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Folashade Yemi-Esan, had, in an address addressed to all permanent secretaries, the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Auditor-General of the Federation, and heads of extra-ministerial departments, ordered strict compliance with the newly revised Public Service Rules, 2021.

Part of the rules require that directors in the civil service who have spent eight years should proceed to immediate retirement.

“Following the approval of the revised Public Service Rules by the Federal Executive Council on September 27, 2021, and its subsequent unveiling at the public service lecture during the commemoration of the 2023 Civil Service Week, the PSR has become operational with effect from July 27, 2023.

“You are, therefore, to ensure full compliance with all provisions of the Public Service Rules, 2021. Please ensure strict compliance with the contents of this circular”, the memo had said.