NAFDAC Workers Stand Firm: Strike to Continue Until Promotion Demands Met

Promotion Denial Sparks NAFDAC Strike

Allowances that are supposed to be approved on or before December 2022...

NAFDAC Strike: Union demands resolution on 20-Year unpaid allowances, promotion disputes & unaddressed concerns.

The Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), NAFDAC Branch, vows to continue its strike until management addresses their demands. At a Kaduna press conference on October 19, Chairman Adetoboye Ayodeji stressed that the ball is in management's court to initiate talks and demonstrate commitment.

The indefinite strike, which began on October 7, seeks a review of the 2024 promotion exams and addresses allegations of unfair promotion denials due to “vacancy slots” imposed by the Head Service. Unpaid statutory arrears and benefits for 2022 recruits are also a concern.

Ayodeji noted that the union had reached an agreement with the government and National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) management in 2022 regarding workers' conditions of service, but implementation remains incomplete.

“The issues in the agreement were supposed to be settled in December 2022 but to date, none of the agreements have been complied with.

“Allowances that are supposed to be approved on or before December 2022 have not been approved, the condition of service could not be approved,” he lamented.

Adetoboye Ayodeji, chairman of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), NAFDAC Branch, revealed that the union had repeatedly reached out to NAFDAC management via multiple letters, only to receive unsatisfactory responses. This lack of communication has exacerbated tensions between the union and management.

The union's concerns stem from the 2024 promotion examinations, where many employees who passed were not promoted. Ayodeji alleged that NAFDAC management attributed this issue to a lack of available vacancies. However, the director-general of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, countered that the agency is not responsible for determining the number of promotions. Instead, the Head of Service of the Federation allocates available vacancies based on government-approved funding.

Ayodeji also highlighted unpaid statutory arrears and benefits for employees hired in 2022. In response, Adeyeye maintained that NAFDAC follows established rules for payment of arrears and estacode, ensuring workers' welfare. The strike, initiated by staff unions on October 7, seeks to address these concerns and review the 2024 promotion exam.

Key Issues:

Promotion Examination Controversy: Many employees who passed the 2024 promotion exams were not promoted due to alleged lack of vacancies.

Unpaid Benefits: Statutory arrears and benefits remain unpaid for employees hired in 2022.

Communication Breakdown: Union's concerns were met with inadequate responses from NAFDAC management.

“Unfortunately the management was recruiting at the same time into the positions that they claim there was no vacancy while those that are rising through the ranks are not promoted, outsiders are brought to occupy the positions,” he alleged.

Ayodeji is seeking answers on the noticeable disparity in NAFDAC's recent promotion exercise, where only about 220 employees were promoted despite over 700 staff members participating in the exams. Essentially, he's asking why such a small percentage of qualified candidates were promoted.

The promotion examination was conducted for officers on salary grade levels 14-16 in the federal civil service. However, the specific reasons for the limited promotions aren't explicitly stated. It's possible that factors such as budget constraints, vacancy slots, or performance evaluations played a role in the decision-making process.

“Only 36 per cent of participants in the examinations were promoted, we, therefore, said no, it is never possible.

“They cannot promote less than 80 per cent of the participants.

“We rejected the entire promotion exercise and asked that more staff be promoted. There can never be motivation in an agency where 36 per cent of staff are only promoted.

“It will have a devastating effect on the staff morale thereby affecting the health of the 200 million Nigerians,” he said.

The NAFDAC strike is heating up, and it's all about unresolved issues with staff allowances that have been lingering for over 20 years. According to Chairman Adetoboye Ayodeji, the union has been seeking clarification on these allowances, but NAFDAC management has been silent

. Despite issuing a two-week notice before the strike, there was no response from management.

It gets more complicated. NAFDAC's Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, flat-out denied all allegations in a statement on October 14. She claimed the agency has been following regulations regarding payment of arrears and estacode allowances, emphasizing NAFDAC's commitment to employee welfare.

Issues Driving the Strike:

Unresolved Allowances: Staff allowances unresolved for over 20 years

Lack of Clarification: Union's requests for clarification ignored by NAFDAC management

No Response: Two-week notice before strike went unaddressed

Denial of Allegations: NAFDAC's Director-General denies all allegations

The Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), NAFDAC Branch, has vowed to continue the strike until their demands are met. The situation is tense, and it's unclear how it will unfold.