Lecturers halt activities at LAUTECH Medical School over unpaid CONMESS arrears

Academic activities have come to a standstill at the Medical School of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, following the commencement of an indefinite strike by members of the Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA), LAUTECH chapter.

The industrial action, which took effect on Friday, August 1, 2025, was formally communicated to the university’s Vice Chancellor in a letter signed by the acting chairman of the association, Professor M.A. Olamoyegun, and acting secretary, Dr. A.O. Alabi.

According to the letter, the lecturers are demanding immediate implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and payment of arrears dating back to January 2025.

NAMDA said the strike became inevitable after the university administration failed to respond to multiple letters, a 14-day ultimatum, and repeated appeals over the issue. The association cited the recent payment of July salaries without incorporating the CONMESS adjustment as the final trigger for the action.

“All academic engagements — including lectures, tutorials, ward rounds, examinations, supervision, and committee duties — within the Faculties of Basic Medical Sciences, Basic Clinical Sciences, and Clinical Sciences are suspended,” the association stated.

NAMDA emphasised that the strike is strictly against the university management and not the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital. The lecturers, many of whom also practise as medical doctors, clarified that their demands relate solely to their roles as academics and the remuneration due to them under the university system.

The association expressed deep disappointment over what it described as the management’s persistent neglect and lack of commitment to resolving the lingering dispute. It added that despite its patience and show of institutional loyalty over the past year, the administration’s continued inaction has left it with no alternative but to withdraw its services.