The staff Union of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has been cautioned against embarking on their proposed strike.
The Management team gave the advice in a statement on Monday.
The proposed strike this medium learnt was scheduled to begin on July 16, over the unpaid new minimum wage and investigations allowances.
In a statement issued by the Assistant Director, Public Affairs, NHRC, Fatima Agwai, the executive secretary of the commission, Tony Ojukwu called on the members of staff of the commission to reject the temptation to embark on strike, saying that the commission was making frantic and relentless efforts to persuade the federal government to release funds to pay the minimum wage arrears and investigations allowances.
According to Ojukwu, the situation is similar with other sister organization’s like INEC, Public Complaints Commission, the Judiciary and NASS, that are on the statutory transfer or first line charge in the federal allocation system.
He said only Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) on IPPIS have been paid the new minimum wage and arrears.
”The Management has approached the National Income, Salaries and Wages Commission (NISWC) which had reviewed this recently and recommended some increase to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) for approval.
”These situations abound when the staff have had to augment the present paltry allowances paid for investigation with their personal funds to ensure they complete investigation assignments given to them.
”We are surprised that the staff union executives did not reason with the management to shelve the proposed industrial action despite explanations by Management of not responsible for the delay in payment.
”Also , the investigation allowances to the entire staff of the NHRC and also considering the fact that other agencies on statutory transfer have not received their own new minimum wage and arrears.
”Industrial harmony rather than a strike is what was needed to further deepen the interface with the government, ” he added.
