By Aaior K. Comfort
The Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress representing employees of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has initiated an indefinite strike due to unresolved promotion controversies and welfare concerns.
This decision follows multiple meetings with NAFDAC management that failed to yield positive outcomes regarding critical staff issues, as reported by ChannelsTV on Monday. The aggrieved workers have stated that their grievances remain unaddressed, prompting this drastic action.
Dr. Ejor Michael, Secretary of the TUC, emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating, “This decision is a result of NAFDAC Management’s failure to address the critical issues outlined in the communiqué within the given time frame.”
In a communiqué (SSASCGOC/NAFDAC/COMMUNIQUE/VOL.1) issued on October 4, 2024, the workers outlined several key unresolved issues, including:
– Review of the 2024 Promotion Examination Results
– Appointment of Directors for Public Affairs and Special Duties
– Training Institute placements for North West and North East extractions
– Reform of Promotion Examination Content
– Timely Disclosure of APER/PER/KPI Scores
– Resolution of Tied Promotion Examination Scores
– Qualification and Conversion Criteria for Promotion Examinations
– Creation of a Psychology Officer Cadre in accordance with the HOS Circular
– Relocation of the Danida Fellowship and centralization of training to the Personnel and Research Services (PRS)
– Payment of all pending burial expenses, life insurance, and repatriation allowances
– Salary arrears for employees from 2022, among other demands.
The communiqué emphasized that the Congress, after thorough discussions, “unanimously resolved to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike across all NAFDAC formations, commencing Monday, 7th October 2024.”
All workers have been directed to withdraw their services in compliance with the strike action. Employees are advised to remove their personal belongings from their offices, as no one, regardless of rank or cadre, will be permitted entry into any NAFDAC office during the strike period.
The release underlined the seriousness of the ongoing situation, stating, “The Congress considers this ongoing inaction insufferable and accentuates that the industrial action will continue unabated until all demands specified in the communiqué are fully met.”
SSASCGOC State and Zonal Coordinators have been tasked with ensuring strict adherence to this directive, as the union calls on its members for cooperation in executing the indefinite strike effectively. As of press time, PUNCH Online could not confirm the compliance level.