Jumoke Olasunkanmi
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said the controversial circular stipulating compulsory retirement for medical consultants in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) after an eight year tenure will be reviewed.
Wike, who was represented by the Minister of State for the FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, said this during a meeting with medical unions, in Abuja.
The Minister noted that considerations will be made for the medical sector, saying: “We have a guideline that exempted the medical doctors from the circular, so we need to have a backup document to speak on the matter.
“I will have to meet with the heads of departments, stakeholders, and other sectors concerning recalling the letter, and I assure you that we will do our best and come out with something good,” she said.
Recall that the Abuja chapter of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) on Tuesday declared a 3-day warning strike over the circular released on August 9. In a letter addressed to the Minister, the consultants sought the Minister’s “prompt intervention in the misinterpretation and misapplication of circular on revised Public Services Rules (PSR) (2021 Section: 020909), policy tenure).”
They noted: “It is directly applicable only to tenured office holders to unjustifiably retire our members who hold untenured position of medical consultants on GL17.
“Contrary to the circular emanating from the office of the Head of Service on the same matter, the circular Ref no: FCTA/HRM/S141145/vol 1 of Aug. 9, 2023 endorsed by the permanent secretary, FCTA has attempted to include medical consultants on GL17 to tenured positions.
“We would like to state categorically herein that medical consultant position on GL 17 has never been regarded as a tenured position.”
