No justification for staff strike, says NEMA

The management of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has insisted that there is no justification for the current strike embarked on by the staff as most of their demands have either been addressed or currently being addressed.

A statement issued Sunday by the Head, Media and Public Relations of NEMA, Sani Datti said an agreement was reached last September between the Management of NEMA and the Staff Union, and was witnessed by Ministry of Labour and Employment.

The statement noted that it “includes settlement of outstanding Overtime Allowance, predating the appointment of the present DG, which had been settled. Payment of DTAs and other claims, which have accrued (since 2015) are being settled in batches, and considerable progress have been made.”

It pointed out that “The staff annual training for 2017 have been concluded successfully. The 2018 training schedule has been approved by the management and implementation has since commenced. Many staff have so far completed their 2018 annual training.”

On the issue of staff promotion, it said “the Department of Human Resources Management has concluded preparations, briefs and other related cases, such as conversion, upgrading, confirmation, etc.

To this end the management has been intimated on the criteria and process of the exercise. Approval of the cost implication for the needed accreditation of eligible officers has been given and will commence in earnest. This will follow immediately with the fixing of the examination date.”

According to the statement “The Renewal of Group Life Insurance, which is at the centre of the present disagreement have been approved after going through rigorous due process (Seeking of “No objection” from BPP, Advert, prequalification, technical and financial tendering, Evaluation and Approval).

“However, the commitment of government was invigorated by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, where a meeting was convened between the NEMA management and the Union’s officials and all addressed government’s efforts to providing better condition of service for NEMA staff.

“At the end of the meeting, a resolution was reached that the Vehicular barricade should be removed and another meeting rescheduled to Tuesday, 19th June, 2018.”