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…insist to contest for the top job
…demand written and unreserved apology from the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, governing Council, say it is affront on their professional qualifications
By Our Reporter
Clinical lecturers and Professors in the University of Uyo College of Health Sciences under the aegis of Medical And Dental Consultants’ Association Of Nigeria (MDCAN) UUTH Chapter who are currently on strike have applied the last accelerating gear to press on the UNIUYO Governing Council to include their members’ qualifications to contest as Vice Chancelor, University of Uyo.
In an internal memo sent to their members christened, RE – TOTAL AND INDEFINITE STRIKE dated Thursday 26th of June 2025, signed by the Secretary, Dr Solomon Bassey and made available to Century Newsfront reads in part, “The Strike which is total will initially involve all activities of clinical lecturers with the University of Uyo effective 12am of Thursday 26th June 2025. These activities include classroom lectures, seminar presentations, teaching rounds, practicals, symposia, research supervision as well as the conduct of tests and examinations…If our demands are not met within a week of the strike’s commencement, the strike will snowball to include our clinical roles as Consultants with the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital. These would then include clinics, surgeries and other procedures as well as ward rounds”.
It could be recalled that Registrar and Secretary to Council of University of Uyo, Mrs. Blossom E. Okorie had earlier issued a letter with the title, INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF VICE CHANCELLOR with one of the major qualifications that applicant must “be a highly distinguished academic with a Ph.D” and that was not received in good faith by members of MDCAN, alleging that they were deliberately excluded from the contest. Upon their protest letter and demand for inclusion, the university of Uyo came up with what they termed, ADDENDUM and rephrased qualification on the advert letter and added that the applicant must be in ‘Possession of a Ph.D. accordingly, while a doctoral degree remains a foundational academic qualification, medical personnel AND OTHERS can apply’.
Medical And Dental Consultants’ Association Of Nigeria (MDCAN) UUTH Chapter in a strike declaration letter signed by the Chairman Dr Ibiok Usendiah and Secretary Dr Solomon Bassey has however, notified the Pro-Chancellor of the University, Bar Muiz Banire, SAN and has however, notified the management of the University of what they described as, NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF SERVICES, RE: EXCLUSION OF CLINICAL LECTURERS/PROFESSORS FROM THE RACE FOR OFFICE OF THE VICE CHANCELLOR OF UNIUYO: PROTEST AGAINST DISCRIMINATION with the following condition/demands: “1. That a rejoinder be published in a minimum of two national dailies with immediate effect stating clearly that the Postgraduate Medical Fellowship will be accepted in place of the PhD for Professors in Clinical Medicine. We would also request that this be entered into the official proceedings of the Governing Council of the University for posterity’s sake 2. That you, the Pro-Chancellor, Bar Muiz Banire, SAN tender tender a written and signed full and unreserved apology to the members of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria for the insult contained in your email reply to the association’s request for a modification of the addendum published by the university”. Watch out for more as events unfold.
