The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has cautioned the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to exercise restraint in their public pronouncements on salary structures, warning that unverified claims could mislead workers and inflame industrial tensions.
Speaking at a press briefing in Gusau, Zamfara State capital, the NMA’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr Mannir Bature, urged organised labour to handle sensitive remuneration matters with due diligence and institutional discipline. He maintained that wage-related concerns in the health sector are best addressed through established processes rather than public ultimatums.
Dr Bature advised the Federal Government to remain focused on the ongoing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) framework, describing it as the lawful and structured avenue for resolving remuneration, welfare and industrial relations issues in the health sector. According to him, the CBA process provides an inclusive platform for sustainable solutions with all stakeholders adequately represented.
He also underscored the need for a strategic rationalisation of Nigeria’s health workforce, stressing efficiency and value for money. “Policy attention should prioritise retaining, strengthening and incentivising frontline clinical workers, particularly doctors and nurses, who carry the primary burden of patient care and clinical decision-making,” he said.
The NMA spokesperson argued that many ancillary and support services outside core clinical functions could be more efficiently delivered through structured outsourcing. Such an approach, he noted, would reduce redundancy, optimise scarce resources and improve the quality and responsiveness of healthcare delivery nationwide.
Dr Bature criticised what he described as fragmented and selective narratives by labour unions, driven more by pressure than due process. He warned that such approaches would not yield lasting industrial harmony. “What the health sector requires is comprehensive engagement, good-faith negotiations, respect for existing agreements and adherence to clearly defined professional roles,” he said.
Clarifying recent claims around the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), Dr Bature dismissed reports of an upgrade as inaccurate. He explained that what occurred was a correction of a long-standing error in the application of the CONMESS framework, in line with established public service guidelines. “A correction of an anomaly does not amount to an upgrade,” he said, cautioning against portraying the move as preferential treatment.
He warned that misleading narratives could fuel avoidable inter-professional discord at a time when unity and collaboration are critical to addressing systemic challenges in Nigeria’s health system. Reaffirming the association’s stance, Dr Bature said the NMA remains committed to constructive dialogue, transparency and inter-professional harmony in the overall interest of healthcare workers and the Nigerian people.
