The South-East caucus of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria has announced a five-day warning strike and solidarity with universities in the South-East and South-South regions effective Monday, October 21, 2024, The Courage.
The announcement follows a protest by some workers of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Anambra state, against the exclusion of clinical lecturers from the eligibility criteria for the Vice-Chancellor position.
MDCAN said clinical lecturers in universities across the South-East and South-South regions would participate in the five-day warning strike.
The members of MDCAN at UNIZIK embarked on a strike on September 24, 2024, to express their displeasure over the governing council’s decision to include some requirements that disqualify medical and dental lecturers from contesting for the position.
According to MDCAN, the requirements contain some discrepancies and discriminatory contents.
In a letter dated October 16, 2024, signed by the Chairman of MDCAN South-East Caucus, Dr Iroro Yarhere, and the Secretary of the Caucus, Dr Stanley Ogbonna, the caucus expressed concern over the selection criteria for the Vice-Chancellor role.
The letter addressed to the Vice Chancellors in the South-East and South-South regions, and titled “Notice of a five-day warning strike by MDCAN (clinical lecturers) in universities in the South-East/South-South regions” was obtained by our correspondent, on Friday.
The letter stated, “This exclusion is unacceptable to us, as it sets a dangerous precedent. Should this be allowed to stand, it could encourage other universities to adopt similar exclusionary policies, effectively denigrating the Fellowship qualifications with which clinical lecturers were employed at the rank of Lecturer I or higher. “This development also undermines the professional standing of clinical lecturers who have contributed immensely to the academic, research, and service delivery missions of their respective universities.”
