"We’re yet to receive circular" says NMA.
Barely ten days to the expiration of the October 1, 2009 ultimatum issued by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Federal Government said yesterday it had approved the Medical Service Scale (MSS) for medical doctors in its employ.
But the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) said it was yet to receive the circular detailing the approval even as it acknowledged verbal notification of the development.
Government also announced that negotiations with other health professionals was on course with a view to addressing similar demands.
A statement issued by the Special Assistant on Communications to the Minister, Niyi Ojuolape, said the approval by President Umaru Yar’Adua was coming against the conclusion of extensive negotiations between governmentt and the NMA on the salary structure and allowances of medical and dental practitioners including specialist allowance, call duty allowance and teaching allowance, among others.
“The Federal Ministry of Health is pleased to announce that the President has approved the Medical Service Scale (MSS) for Medical Doctors in the employment of the Federal Government.
The consideration and approval of the new MSS is coming against the background of the conclusion of extensive deliberations and negotiations between the Federal Government’s team and the Nigerian Medical Association on the salary structure and allowances of medical and dental practitioners including specialist allowance, call duty allowance and teaching allowance etc.
“We also wish to state that a dialogue is going on between the representatives of other professionals within the health sector and a Federal Government team under the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Labor with a view to securing a similar package to address the welfare of other health professionals employed by the Federal Government”, it said.
The statement further noted that “there is already an approval in principle by the Presidency in this regard, but the details thereof is still the subject of the ongoing deliberations, the process of which has actually begun a long time ago.
It is expected that we will come to an agreement very soon on the specifics of the package, further to which we will secure the approval of the President for a long lasting package that will address the issue of the welfare of the entire health sector”.
According to the statement, “the Presidential approval of the MSS is a fulfillment of the undertaking given by the Minister of Health that the agreement reached with the NMA will have received the necessary approval before the end of September, 2009.
In the same vein, the minister wants to seize this opportunity to assure other professionals in the sector and indeed all Nigerians that as soon as the welfare package being currently negotiated is agreed upon, the approval of the President will be sought and obtained in a very short time”.
Speaking on the development, Secretary-General of NMA, Dr Keneth Okoro, said “We have only received a verbal communication, we are yet to get a formal communication and an enabling circular that will give us a clear picture.
We are yet to receive an enabling circular. If it is true then it will be a major boost for medical practitioners in the country”.
From Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Barely ten days to the expiration of the October 1, 2009 ultimatum issued by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Federal Government said yesterday it had approved the Medical Service Scale (MSS) for medical doctors in its employ.
But the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) said it was yet to receive the circular detailing the approval even as it acknowledged verbal notification of the development.
Government also announced that negotiations with other health professionals was on course with a view to addressing similar demands.
A statement issued by the Special Assistant on Communications to the Minister, Niyi Ojuolape, said the approval by President Umaru Yar’Adua was coming against the conclusion of extensive negotiations between governmentt and the NMA on the salary structure and allowances of medical and dental practitioners including specialist allowance, call duty allowance and teaching allowance, among others.
“The Federal Ministry of Health is pleased to announce that the President has approved the Medical Service Scale (MSS) for Medical Doctors in the employment of the Federal Government.
The consideration and approval of the new MSS is coming against the background of the conclusion of extensive deliberations and negotiations between the Federal Government’s team and the Nigerian Medical Association on the salary structure and allowances of medical and dental practitioners including specialist allowance, call duty allowance and teaching allowance etc.
“We also wish to state that a dialogue is going on between the representatives of other professionals within the health sector and a Federal Government team under the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Labor with a view to securing a similar package to address the welfare of other health professionals employed by the Federal Government”, it said.
The statement further noted that “there is already an approval in principle by the Presidency in this regard, but the details thereof is still the subject of the ongoing deliberations, the process of which has actually begun a long time ago.
It is expected that we will come to an agreement very soon on the specifics of the package, further to which we will secure the approval of the President for a long lasting package that will address the issue of the welfare of the entire health sector”.
According to the statement, “the Presidential approval of the MSS is a fulfillment of the undertaking given by the Minister of Health that the agreement reached with the NMA will have received the necessary approval before the end of September, 2009.
In the same vein, the minister wants to seize this opportunity to assure other professionals in the sector and indeed all Nigerians that as soon as the welfare package being currently negotiated is agreed upon, the approval of the President will be sought and obtained in a very short time”.
Speaking on the development, Secretary-General of NMA, Dr Keneth Okoro, said “We have only received a verbal communication, we are yet to get a formal communication and an enabling circular that will give us a clear picture.
We are yet to receive an enabling circular. If it is true then it will be a major boost for medical practitioners in the country”.
From Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
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