Th ere is tension in the National Emergency Management Agency over a N2.8billion liabilities inherited by the current management.
Th e sum, according to our fi ndings, include N665million suspicious claims of some staff members.
A breakdown of the liabilities profi le is as follows: N82,019,313.90 (2015); N1,212,063,635.77(2016); and N1,507,087,420.82(Jan-March 2017).
Th e inherited staff liabilities are N9,553,400(2015); N273,592,861.12(2016) and N382,096,780.02).
Th e development, according to sources, is causing lot of tension between the management and the workers, especially, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria( ASCSN), who are pushing for a wholesome settlement of the claims.
But the management, which admitted inheriting the liabilities and also prides itself as pro-workers, is insisting on the verifi cation of the claims to ascertain its veracity.
Speaking with newsmen, the agency’s Director- General, Mustapha Maihaja said : “I inherited the liabilities and for all intents and purposes, a Chief Executive ought to verify all claims that are not paid before he resumes.
I am doing exactly that. “I have not owed workers their salaries since I came on board.
Also, I have been paying all the claims of workers of NEMA as and when due since I resumed in April 2017.
“I am not anti-labour but I am insisting on due process to verify the outstanding claims which I inherited.
” Also, the ACSN is opposed to the transfer of the Secretary of the Women Commission Member of the Trade Union Congress( TUC), Comrade Shaibu Afusatu, redeployed to Lagos, and asked for her reposting to NEMA headquarters.
Th e workers’ demand for the payment of the unverifi ed claims, sources said, is the reason for the threats by NEMA workers to go on strike, even as Maihaja clarifi ed that he has no anti-labour agenda.
Available records show that since the present management team came on board, NEMA workers had been receiving their salaries and claims as and when due.
Th e NEMA boss similarly acknowledged redeploying the President of ASCSN to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
But the document containing the liabilities revealed that the unverifi ed N665million became subject of dispute, following the discovery that a Grade Level 08 offi cer applied for N14million as outstanding claims.
Similarly, another senior staff asked for N58million refund, being the cost allegedly spent on behalf of NEMA.
“While the workers were mounting pressure for payment of claims, NEMA management is insisting on verifi cation of all outstanding claims.
Th e next we received was threat to go on strike action,” volunteered a source within the agency.
Th e source also said the redeployment of Comrade Afusatu was also a major issue raised by the TUC against NEMA.
Th e leadership of the Abuja chapter of TUC is asking NEMA management to “reverse the posting in line with extant labour laws , international conventions and a subsisting agreement.
” However, NEMA in its response clarifi ed that “the redeployment of the aff ected staff was a routine exercise carried out within the statutory responsibility of the management stipulated in their letters of appointment.
“Th e action of redeployment of staff does not in any way amount to violation of relevant section of ILO Convention 87.
Th e agency , however, supports and encourages and allows free and legitimate association among its staff and will continue to do so.
