The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, Osun State may lose medical course as Clinical lecturers embarked on industrial action amid the commencement of the accreditation programme.
The lecturers under the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association (MDCAN) commenced strike action on Monday after expiration of the 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to reverse the alleged discriminatory criteria used in the selection and appointment of the university leadership positions especially for the office of the Vice-Chancellor.
The union lamented the criteria of appointment of VCs in some universities excluding its members from applying for the roles.
A statement by the OAU union through its chairman and Secretary, Dr Olufemi Ogundipe and Dr Tajudin Adetunji, confirmed that they had fully complied with the national directive to embark on strike.
The statement explained that academic activities at the College of Health Sciences in OAU involving all clinical lecturers have been shut down.
“The fate of over 100 final medical students of OAU now hangs in the balance just as the medical college may lose its accreditation status with the National University Commission (NUC) if the long-standing shortfall in the emoluments of the clinical lecturers as a result of non-implementation of CONMESS is not addressed.”
The union urged government and the university authority to act swiftly, saying, “We are demanding immediate payment of CONMESS to all clinical lecturers in OAU to save the future of medical education,” the union said.
