NAN staff protest poor conditions of service, non-payment of salaries
The staff of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) today protested against alleged poor conditions of service and non-payment of their allowances.
The demonstrators embarked on the protest after the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the management over their demands.
They called on FG and management of the agency to look into staff welfare, remuneration and improve conditions of service to enable the staff return to work as soon as possible.
Three unions – Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Almagamated Union of Civil Service Public Coporation, Technical and Recreational Service Employees (AUCPTRE) and Radio Television, Theatre Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU) – demanded that the Condition of Service that was last reviewed 16 years ago be implemented.
Also high on the unions’ demands are: Payment of Promotion Arrears for 2012 and 2017, as well as payment of shortfall of promotion arrears of 2014, 2015, and 2016.
The statement on the demands was signed by three unions leaders, Yetunde Bada(NUJ), Suleiman Haruna(AUCPTRE), Daniel Akphiare (RATTAWU).
The statement says the situation in NAN is so dire that most of the agency staff are indebted to banks, microfinance and cooperative societies in order to make ends meet.
“The stipend of N5,000 paid monthly to editorial and marketing staff to augment transportation is now 48 months overdue. All privileges relating to bus drop offs of reporters at assignment venues have been cancelled,” it said.
The unions also requested for the payment of DTA and hotel allowances to staff that left their base to write the 2018 Promotion Examination in Lagos and Abuja and payment of repatriation allowances of foreign correspondents.
Haruna told newsmen that the Agency will embark on another 21 days warning, and thereafter proceed to an indefinite strike, if these demands are not met after these three days.
“We have been trying to stop the strike, but we did not receive any positive reply from the government, we are poorer than we were in five years and that shouldn’t be allowed to continue,” the NUJ Secretary, FCT, Rafat Idris Salami, said.
