Promotion delay, poor welfare: NAFDAC workers embark on indefinite strike

Following unresolved promotion controversy as well as welfare issues, the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies, an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress representing employees of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, has embarked on an indefinite strike.

The decision to embark on strike became necessary after series of meetings held with the management of NAFDAC yielded no positive outcomes.

The workers expressed sadness following the issues left unaddressed by the management, according to ChannelsTv report.

In a statement containing the strike announcement, the Secretary of TUC, Dr Ejor Michael said, “This decision is a result of NAFDAC management’s failure to address the critical issues outlined in the communiqué within the given time frame.”

According to the communiqué SSASCGOC/NAFDAC/COMMUNIQUE/VOL.1, issued on October 4, 2024, key issues that remain unresolved include: 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 and Timely Disclosure of APER/PER/KPI Scores.

Others are 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 centralisation of training to the Personnel and Research Services (PRS); Payment of all pending burial expenses, life insurance, and repatriation allowances and Salary arrears for employees from 2022, among other demands.

The communiqué emphasised that the Congress, after thorough discussions “unanimously resolved to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike across all NAFDAC formations, commencing Monday, 7th October 2024.

“In view of the foregoing, all staff are advised to remove their personal belongings from their offices, as no one, regardless of rank or cadre, will be allowed entry into any NAFDAC offices during the strike period.

“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.”