UNIZIK crisis: Medical workers begin strike Monday

The South-East chapter of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has declared a five-day warning strike to show support for universities in the South-East and South-South regions, starting Monday, October 21, 2024.

This decision comes in response to a protest by staff at Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra State, regarding the exclusion of clinical lecturers from the eligibility criteria for the Vice-Chancellor position. MDCAN has confirmed that clinical lecturers from universities in both regions will join the strike.

Earlier, on September 24, 2024, MDCAN members at UNIZIK initiated a strike to voice their concerns over the governing council’s criteria that disqualified medical and dental lecturers from applying for the Vice-Chancellor role, citing discrepancies and discriminatory elements within the requirements.

In a letter dated October 16, 2024, signed by Dr. Iroro Yarhere, Chairman of the MDCAN South-East Caucus, and Dr. Stanley Ogbonna, the Caucus Secretary, the group expressed its objections to the selection criteria for the Vice-Chancellor position. This letter, which was shared with Vice Chancellors in the South-East and South-South regions, emphasized the serious implications of such exclusions.

The letter stated, “This exclusion is unacceptable to us, as it sets a dangerous precedent. If permitted, it may lead other universities to implement similar exclusionary practices, undermining the qualifications of clinical lecturers who were appointed at the rank of Lecturer I or higher. This situation also diminishes the professional reputation of clinical lecturers who have significantly contributed to their universities’ academic, research, and service missions.”