The House of Representative Committee on Emergency, Preparedness and Disaster Management of the National Assembly (NASS) has commenced investigation into allegation of high-handedness, maladministration and corruption against the Director General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Engr. Mustapha Maihaja.
An official letter address to management of NEMA as well as Staff Union by the Clerk of the Committee, Sulyman Mohammed Sarkin-Noma, read: “Sequel to the industrial action embarked upon by the staff, the Committee resolved to convey a meeting with the DG NEMA, Management team and the representative of the workforce on Monday October 23, 2017 at NASS Complex.”
It was gathered that swift intervention of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo last week curtailed the indefinite strike action embarked upon by the entire workers of the NEMA nationwide and prevented further hardship inhabitants of IDP camps across the country face.
A presidency source told PRNigeria: “The office of the Vice President, which was not comfortable with the attitude of the new NEMA DG to the legitimate demands of emergency workers, had ordered Maihaja to enter into negotiations with the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria(ASCSN) in conjunction with the Minister of Labour and Employment.
“This is the first time that staff of NEMA, as an emergency and crisis management outfit, would embark on an industrial action since its inception over a decade ago.”
Consequent upon the intervention of the Presidency towards controlling bad image over the strike, a meeting was held at the behest of the Labour Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Bolaji Adebiyi.
A memorandum of Terms of agreement at the end of the meeting was signed and endorsed by NEMA DG himself, Engr Maihaja; Legal Adviser Umar Mohammed, Representative of ASCSN Comrade Isaac Ojemhenke and NEMA Labour Chairman, Comrade Saad Bello.
In the memorandum, the parties agreed to set up an implementation committee comprising the Union, NEMA management to be chaired by the Director of Finance at the Labour Ministry to facilitate the verification and commencement of staff claims by Tuesday, October 24, 2017.
It was also agreed that NEMA management should work with the union to conclude the process of acquiring the Assurance Policy for the staff within one week and come up with a compensation package for the families of deceased staff in line with the provisions of the public service rules.
On the DG’s refusal to carry out staff training and manpower development, it was again agreed that a training schedule using the existing template be drawn to accommodate all the staff and training needs of all departments within two weeks and that monitoring and compliance be reported.
On the controversial posting of the Unit Vice Chairman and Treasurer respectively, the DG was ordered to issue recall letters latest by October 20th, 2017 unfailingly.
The memorandum noted that no member of the Association shall be victimized as a result of the industrial action.
Other issues addressed at the meeting include hazard allowance, separation of women from their families, proper placement and promotion.
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