Medical workers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Anambra state, are set to embark on a five-day warning strike starting Monday, October 21, 2024. This decision was made by the South-East caucus of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) in solidarity with universities in the South-East and South-South regions.
The strike is a response to the governing council’s decision to exclude clinical lecturers from the eligibility criteria for the Vice-Chancellor position. According to MDCAN, this exclusion is unacceptable and sets a dangerous precedent that could lead other universities to adopt similar exclusionary policies, thereby undermining the professional standing of clinical lecturers.
The members of MDCAN at UNIZIK had previously gone on strike on September 24, 2024, to express their displeasure over the governing council’s decision. The current strike involves clinical lecturers from universities across the South-East and South-South regions.
In a letter dated October 16, 2024, signed by the Chairman of MDCAN South-East Caucus, Dr Iroro Yarhere, and the Secretary of the Caucus, Dr Stanley Ogbonna, the caucus emphasized the importance of including clinical lecturers in the selection criteria for the Vice-Chancellor role.
