Staff of National Identity Management Commission under the aegis of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) have proceeded on an indefinite strike today January 7.
In a communiqué signed by Asekohai Lucky, Chairman, ASCSN, NIMC unit, the association ordered all members on grade level 12 and below to report to respective duty posts and “do nothing”.
It was said that the grouse of the union against the Federal Government bordered on the state of NIMC enrolment centres across the country, especially in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Lucky said;
Staff of the agency have been infected with COVID-19 and the Federal Government have not taken adequate measures to curtail the spread and ensure the safety essential staff at enrolment centres.
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.
He added;
All members at the local government offices and special centres are advised to stay away from their various centres as a task force and implementation committees would be on parade to ensure total compliance to the directive.
Nigerian Communications Commission had last month asked all telecoms firms to disconnect the SIM cards of all persons who have not integrated their National Identity Numbers with their phone lines by the end of January.
Currently, over 100 million Nigerians have yet to do so which has caused huge crowds to gather at the various offices of NIMC in breach of the COVID-19 protocol.
According to the communiqué issued, the strike became necessary due to the exposure of staff to COVID-19 risks, lack of personal protective equipment, irregularities in promotion and poor funding.
They also asked to be paid overtime and given enough tools to work with.
The union noted that;
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.
According to the striking workers, they decided to take this action to press home their demand for better welfare packages from the government.
