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| Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology |
Nuclear Energy workers begin
indefinite strike tomorrow Wednesday
From our Correspondent
April 09, 2019
Following
the breakdown of negotiations with the Federal Government in their demand for
better working conditions, workers of the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission
(NAEC) have declared an indefinite nationwide strike with effect from tomorrow
Wednesday.
Already, the
workers under the aegis of the Senior Staff Association of Universities,
Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutions and Associated Institutions, an
affiliate of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, have served the strike
notice.
The chairman
of SSAUTHRIAI, NAEC-Branch, Chukwuma Anyanwu, in a resolution by the workers
declaring the action and obtained by journalist in Abuja on Tuesday said, “the
strike is coming after several dialogue and consultation with the management of
the commission failed to yield any positive result.”
According to
him, the decision to embark on strike this Wednesday was sequel to the
expiration of the ultimatum on Tuesday. A
senior management staff said that the Chief Executive of NAEC has been away
while it was also not certain that he would implement the demands within 24
hours.
NAEC, a
focal agency of the Federal Government is charged with the responsibility of
the implementing Nigeria’s nuclear power programme. The core mandate of the commission is the
promotion of the development of atomic energy and all matters relating to the
peaceful uses of atomic energy, including various applications of nuclear
energy in electricity generation, agriculture, water resources management,
medicine, industry, education and research.
Anyanwu
said, “The strike being embarked by the staff of the commission is the last
resort. The workers have been demanding for high risk allowances due to
radioactive source handled by worker in their assignments. It should be noted
that the Nuclear Technology Centre, an agency under the Ministry of Science and
Technology with offices near the Gamma Irradiation Facility operated by NAEC
has been receiving high risk allowance for the past seven years till date while
NAEC staff who are directly exposed to these hazardous work are deprived of the
high risks/hazard and other related allowances as obtainable in Nigeria and the
world over.
“The
commission which is a research institute operates the Consolidated Research and
Allied Institutions Salary Scale which permits for skipping of CONRAISS 10
(equivalent of Grade level 11 in the mainstream civil service). The skipping is
selectively being implemented among staff and in some of the centres.”
The staffers
were also protesting against alleged illegalities being perpetrated in the
commission, including promotion of a Deputy Director employed on contract to a
Director.
Others
included contract tenure renewal more than twice; contract staff on pensionable
appointment, thus receiving pension in two places under the same public service
which is in contravention of Public Service Rule 020401(a);
Autonomous
creation of position being referred to as ‘Project Managers’;
placing
project managers above Directors, thereby denying Directors their statutory
roles and responsibilities and disparity in placement at entry level into the
commission. NAEC has its headquarters at No. 9 Kwame Nkrumah Crescent,
Asokoro-Abuja, with several university and non-university based centres.
These
centres had the mandates to conduct researches, develop and train manpower in
nuclear technology, engineering and sciences. They included Centre for Energy
Research and Training (CERT) - ABU Zaria;
Centre for
Energy Research and Development (CERD) (in OAU), Ile-Ife; Nuclear Technology
Centre (SHESTCO), Sheda, Abuja; and Centre for Nuclear Studies and Training
FUT, Owerri. Others were the Centre for
Nuclear Energy Studies, University of Port Harcourt; Centre for Nuclear Energy
Training and Research, University of Maiduguri and the FGN/IAEA Marine Contamination
and Coastal Field Monitoring Station.
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