Breaking: NIPC staff union commences strike, lists 18 sins of ES
By Peter Usman/:
Again, the staff union of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, NIPC on Wednesday listed eighteen major reasons for its decision to embark on industrial action.
The union which commenced the strike action early hours of Wednesday, 24 February, 2021, said the Executive Secrtary of the NIPC, Ms. Yewande Sadiku, allegedly erred on several grounds in running the affairs of the Commission.
The gate of the commission was lockedup as members of the union were holding various placards by the entrance with different inscriptions, such as: “five years wasted without results; Investment Promotion is not Investment Banking; Enough of illegal sacking/dismissal of staff; Award of fraudulent contract, Nepotism, fraud, mismanagement, arrogance and disloyalty among others.
The staff union President, Comrade Yusuf Mustapha, in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday accused the NIPC boss of dehonesty and lack of decorum in carrying the affairs of the commission.
Some of the reasons that prompted the strike, according to the staff union include: “Wrongful dismissal of their members; deliberate under-declaration of vacancies during the 2020 promotion period and preferential use of Annual Performance Evaluation Report, APER to favour selected cronies to the detriment of others.
“Tampering with the result of 2020 CBT promotion exercise; manifest ineptitude in understanding the mandate of investment promotion; Double standards and deliberate tardiness on all issues of staff welfare; poor understanding of Public Sector Financial Management leading to poor implementation of budgetary provisions.
“Violation of corporate governance code by undertaking unauthorized foreign travels that yielded no returns on public funds; lack of administrative acumen leading to dispute in the court room on; breach of Public Procurement Act and ICPC Act in the procurement process by issuing a contract to an unregistered company that supplied sub-standard computer consumables.
“Use of personal discretion and impunity in running the affairs of the commission; usurping the functions/duties of desk officers there by killing staff initiatives and moral; know it all attitude that results in woeful failure and wastage of public funds among others.”
The statement read in part: “As you are aware the Union has been embroiled in a struggle with the Executive Secretary and Management to address pressing staff welfare matters and institutional failures.
“However, every civil attempt on our part has been met with a lack of decorum, dishonesty and total disregard on the part of the Executive Secretary and her team.
“It is on record that all avenues for civil negotiations and reconciliations has been exhausted by the Union Exco.
“The NIPC in its 22years of existence has never been so broken, demoralised and polarised.
“As a result, the Union under my leadership has taken decisive action to save our dear Commission from this dire situation.
Comrade Mustapha, while urging members of the union to stand and defend your rights, called for immediate removal and prosecution of Yewande Sadiku, adding that all promotion issues including 2018 should be immediately resolved in favour of staff.
He also demanded for payment of all outstanding arrears and severance package to retired staff of the Commission, reversal of dismissal of all staff sacked in the last four years and immediate renovation/rehabilitation of Zonal Offices and Headquarters among others.
As at the time of filing this report, all efforts to reach the Executive Secretary, Ms. Yewande Sadiku for comment proved abortive as her number was not connecting.
