Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, on Monday appealed to the workers in the agency to end their ongoing industrial action and assure them of the management’s determination to immediately address the issues contained in their demands.
Adeyeye, in her letter to the agency’s labour unions today recalled that the two-week industrial action embarked upon by the staff unions was precipitated by some grievances to which the management is now paying serious attention.
The Director-General lamented that despite the efforts of the management to resolve these issues amicably, having had three meetings with the union leaders, the situation remained unresolved.
According to her, given the significant public health responsibilities of the agency, the prolonged strike poses a potential risk to the health, safety, and security of Nigerians, as critical regulatory functions are being disrupted.
Adeyeye noted that in addition, the cost of the strike to the agency was unquantifiable in terms of its reputation and loss of revenue, with the attendant negative implications for its ability to pay productivity allowance in 2024 and other allowances that will be due in 2025.
She noted that while SSASCGOC had shown maturity in suspending its strike action, MHWUN remained bent on continuing with the industrial action, stressing that the failure of the MHWUN to suspend the strike is an ill wind that blows no good as national interest must be put above others.
The Director-General, who critically appraised the issues being contended by the MHWUN with the agency’s management in a 10-point analysis, said the management had invested so much time towards solving them for industrial peace.
She listed the issues as including the Expansion of vacancies to facilitate the promotion of all candidates that scored 60 marks and above in the NAFDAC 2024 promotion exercise; Full Compliance with 2022 Agreement signed with the NAFDAC’s Council and Management; Matters on Kaduna Training School; Payment of Repatriation, Burial Expenses, and Life Insurance Benefits; Payment of Disengagement Allowance; and Casualization of drivers.
Others are Expansion of Organogram to allow for More Vacancies; Review of Job-specific Allowance; Review of Laboratory Allowance; and Transfer within the Agency.
Adeyeye updated the aggrieved workforce on plans by the management to frontally address the demands, clarifying for instance on the issue of promotion that promotion in Public Service is based on competitive merit subject to the availability of vacancies and that the agency does not determine vacancies.
She stated: “It is purely the responsibility of the Office of Head of Civil Service of the Federation. However, the issue is being addressed as NAFDAC Management has written to the Head of Service through the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare (CMHSW) for the expansion of vacancies. The CMHSW recommended the request, and MHWUN was informed.”
On the demand by the workers for Full Compliance with 2022 Agreement signed with the NAFDAC Council and Management, she pointed out that the concern of the union had to do with the gazetting of the Hazard, Productivity and Regulatory Allowances, noting that “unknown to the union this matter has been partially addressed by the Secretary to Government of the Federation through the advocacy and interventions of the management and that the SGF had written to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy to approve the allowances for NAFDAC staff using the user fees.
Similarly, Adeyeye explained on the Payment of Disengagement allowance that “the notion that the payment of this allowance has been stopped is misguided. There was no such thought from any quarter. The management is committed to ensuring that any case of delayed payment is promptly addressed.”
This is even as she explained to the striking workers on Casualisation of Drivers that in the just concluded recruitment exercise few casual drivers were given permanent employment and recruitment remains an ongoing process, saying that as the management gets the necessary approvals to recruit, all the casual drivers will be absorbed.
The Director-General also remarked on Transfer within the Agency that there was in place a policy that guides transfer in the agency whereby officers who have spent long periods in a particular location are deployed. Since last year, staff deployment has gone on in the agency and it is continuing.
Adeyeye further pointed out that for instance, transfers had been carried out in the South-West Zone, South-East, North[1]Central, and North-East Zones, stressing that the laboratory is a specialized area and transfers of officers in the laboratory must be done methodically and measured so as not to disrupt the system.
She assured: You can see from the forgoing that the management did not downplay the grouse of the Union but took positive steps towards addressing them. And I can assure you that I will not rest until the issues are proper tackled.
“Therefore, it has become necessary to appeal to you to return to work and get NAFDAC moving again. I appreciate your dedication, diligence and hard work. That is the hallmark of what NAFDAC staff are known for and we cannot afford to prove otherwise at this critical juncture. It is my sincere hope that you will hearken to this appeal in the interest of our nation. Thank you for your anticipated cooperation”, the Director-General added.
