BY BANYO TEMITAYO
WORKERS at the National Identity Management Commission, on Thursday, embarked on a strike to protest alleged exposure to COVID-19 infection and poor funding, among others.
The strike has commenced in the middle of the rush for National Identification Numbers by Nigerians who want to beat the deadline given to telecommunications service providers to block the lines of subscribers who fail to link their NIN to their SIMs.
The notice of strike, co-signed by the President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, NIMC chapter, Lucky Michael; and Secretary, Odia Victor, directed all members of Grade Level 12 and below to report across the nation at their duty posts on Thursday “and do nothing.”
The directive, it was learnt, was based on the outcome of the Congress meeting of the ACCSN, NIMC branch.
A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting also identified the lack of personal protective equipment and irregularities in promotion as further reasons for the decision of the workers to commence the strike.
According to the workers, some of their members have been infected with COVID-19 while adequate measures have not been put in place to curtail the spread of the virus.
The communique read, “Consequent upon the just concluded congress of the above mentioned association that took place on January 6, 2020, the unit executive directs all members of Grade Level 12 and below in the head office and state offices to report to their respective duty posts tomorrow January 7, 2020 and do nothing.
“All members at the local government offices and special centres are advised to stay away from their various centres as task force and implementation committees would be on parade to ensure total compliance to the directive.”
The workers further noted, “Staff members were infected with COVID-19 and adequate measures have not been taken to curtail the spread. The meeting resolved that safety of staff should be prioritised. Furthermore the office environment should be fumigated immediately.
“The congress agreed that the NIMC staff salary structure approved by the Federal Government vide Presidential assent be implemented in the personnel appropriation of the 2021 annual budget effective January 2021.
“That the lopsided and irregular promotion done in 2017 and 2020 be reviewed, regularised and gazetted in accordance with public service rules.”
-ThePoint
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