By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

Management of the Kwara state Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS) has read a riot act to the staff of the organisation, warning them against any action that is capable of disrupting the lawful activities of the Service as well as the peace of the State.

A statement on Thursday in Ilorin, the state capital, by the Head, Corporate Affairs of the Service, Titilayomi Ogunwale, warned that culprits would be adequately dealt with, adding that all matters relating to staff welfare have been given utmost priority by the Management and the state government.

“All staff of Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS) are by this press statement informed that any deviation from their official duties shall be viewed as gross misconduct and economic sabotage with grave implications on their terms of employment,” the statement added.

The warning was as a result of the Tuesday protest to the Government House by the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), KW-IRS chapter, on the issue of salary review, which the Management claimed had already been concluded.

The protest, the statement said: “It is tantamount to embarrassing the State, attacking the character of the Executive Chairman, causing instability in the Service, and it smirks of a dangerous political gimmick to destabilise the system, and discredit the government for no credible reasons.

“The question in the mind of any progressive individual would be to know what the agitation and demand by Staff are meant to achieve? Management in the past three years has continued to do its lawful duty and ensure it deals with all staff matters fairly, not excluding the over 200 staff employed at the tail end of the last administration of which the majority seem not ready to imbibe the corporate and target driven set up orientation.

“Considering nipping all arising issues as they relate to staff in the bud, therefore, the leadership of the Labour Union at both the National and State levels visited the Revenue House in Ilorin and had an over 5hours meeting with the Management of KW-IRS on Tuesday, 11th October, 2022 in the presence of the executive members of the Trade Union of KW-IRS chapter and a memorandum of understanding was signed by all parties involved with a resolution to drop all plans on the proposed protest on salary increment, but surprisingly, this was never yielded to by the ASCSN, KW-IRS chapter.

“Making Staff welfare paramount through activation of more welfare plans such as enrolment of staff into the National Housing Fund (NHF) Scheme, sponsoring of the Kwara Health Insurance (KW-HIA) Scheme for staff, adequate recognition and compensation of hard work, among several others has always been key to the Management.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Management has just implemented payment of bonuses, promotions, and step upgrades of staff (almost double the usual number at 39.7 % promotion and 25 % step upgrade).

“In addition to the above is the latest salary increment for junior staff which covers not less than 91% of the workforce. The increment, indeed, puts a new entrant on the Revenue Trainee grade in KW-IRS at the equivalent salary of a Level 10 officer in the Civil Service of the State, even without bonuses considered and Level 12 officer with bonuses considered.”