Three major medical academic associations at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) and the College of Health Sciences, Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi (MOAUM), have issued a 21-day ultimatum to university management over longstanding welfare and salary-related grievances.
The associations the Nigerian Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA), the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), and the Association of Specialist Medical and Dental Academics (ASMeDA) — announced the ultimatum following an emergency joint congress held on Monday, June 29, 2026.
The notice, jointly signed by Dr. Innocent Abi (NAMDA, MOAUM/BSUTH), Dr. Emmanuel Iwuozo (MDCAN, BSUTH), and Dr. Paul Beega (ASMeDA, CHS-MOAUM), took effect on June 29 and will expire on July 19, 2026, at 11:59pm.
The lecturers accused the university management of abruptly stopping payment of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) to medically qualified academics, describing the action as unjust. They also alleged the continued failure to implement the approved Revised Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) since January 2026, despite its approval.
Other grievances include the alleged wrongful payment of CONMESS-specific allowances to non-medically qualified lecturers on the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS), failure to remit statutory pension deductions to employees’ Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs), and the payment of promotion arrears in instalments instead of full settlement.
The medical lecturers are demanding the immediate implementation of the Revised CONMESS salary structure, payment of 24 months of accrued CONMESS arrears, immediate cessation of CONMESS allowance payments to non-eligible staff, remittance of all outstanding pension deductions, and full lump-sum payment of all outstanding promotion arrears.
The associations warned that failure by the university management to resolve the issues within the 21-day period would result in a “total, comprehensive and indefinite strike action.” The strike notice was issued under the banner of promoting industrial harmony, staff welfare, and quality medical education.
