Workers ground activities at CAC, NIPC
Wo r k e r s grounded business activities at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) on Wednesday over issues bordering on unionism, poor staff welfare and allegations of mismanagement.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), led by NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, picketed the CAC over alleged refusal of CAC management to allow staff to belong to unions of their choice.
Wabba alleged that the CAC stalled the promotion of the
Commission’s members of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE).
He also alleged that the Registrar General of the CAC, Alhaji Garba Abubakar, was involved in corruption acts.
The CAC’s Director of Public Affairs, Duke Ukaga, debunked the allegation of non-unionisation of the CAC staff.
“That is simply not true because what happened was that sometime in December 2019, and reaffirmed in May, 2020, the National Industrial Court had declared via a judgement that AUPCTRE was a junior staff union. That’s a subsisting judgement,” he said.
Ukaga said that based on the judgement, CAC requested junior staff, from supervisors and below, to belong to any union of their choice or remain with AUPCTRE while the senior staff, from senior supervisors and above, to belong to any other union of their choice except AUPCTRE.
“The senior staff then decided to join The Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies (SSASCGOC). They have done their elections and appointed their officials,” he said.
Similarly, the NIPC staff union barricaded the entrance to the commission, bearing placards with “executive felonies’ allegedly committed by the Executive Secretary of NIPC, Ms Yewande Sadiku.
The staff union chairman, Comrade Yusuf Mustapha, said Ms Sadiku wrongfully dismissed their members, tampered with the result of the 2020 promotion exams, refused to pay medical assistance to sick staff and severance package to retired staff and double standards on staff welfare.
Ms Sadiku did not reply to the Daily Trust’s inquiry on the industrial action while the spokesperson of the Commission, Mr Emeka Offor, said he would issue a statement but did not despite repeated requests.