The medical school at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, including the faculties of Medicine and Basic Clinical Sciences on the Nnewi Campus, has been inactive for 12 days. This is due to a withdrawal of services by clinical lecturers who are part of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria. The lecturers decided to protest the exclusion of their members from being able to compete for the vacant vice-chancellor position of the school.
The Secretary of the Association, Dr. Sunday Oriji, expressed their stance against this exclusion. They highlighted that the requirements listed in the advertisement for the vice-chancellor position did not align with the qualifications of medical professors, thus deliberately excluding them from consideration.
Dr. Oriji emphasized that the association will continue to stand firm until the university’s management rectifies the situation. The group had initially written to the Acting Vice Chancellor to address their concerns before ultimately initiating the strike action.
The ongoing strike has led to the disruption of activities at the medical school, impacting the training and education of medical students. The lecturers are determined to continue their protest until the issue is addressed appropriately by the university’s management.