The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has debunked a report by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, claiming that doctors benefited from an upgrade of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, CONMESS.
The National Publicity Secretary of the association, Dr Mannir Bature, disclosed this on Monday in Gusau, Zamfara State capital, while addressing newsmen.
Bature described the allegation as misleading and capable of fuelling industrial tension in the health sector.
This statement was in response to the ultimatum issued by the NLC and TUC over the ongoing nationwide industrial action by the Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU.
The NMA stated that there was no upgrade of CONMESS in 2014, as alleged by organised labour.
It explained that what occurred was a correction of long-standing distortions in the implementation of the salary structure, carried out in line with existing approvals and public service guidelines.
According to the association, the action merely restored CONMESS to its originally approved position, stressing that correcting an anomaly cannot be equated with an upgrade or preferential treatment.
“The NMA wishes to unequivocally clarify that there was no upgrade of CONMESS whatsoever, as falsely claimed. What occurred was a correction of a long-standing error and distortion in the application of the CONMESS framework, which had persisted despite clear approvals and established public service guidelines.
“This corrective action merely restored CONMESS to its rightful and previously approved position. By every objective, technical, and administrative definition, a correction of an anomaly does not amount to an upgrade,” the statement said.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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