Energy commission senior staff begin 3-day warning strike
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN)’s unit (ASCSN-ECN Unit) has declared a 3-day warning strike.
ASCSN-ECN Unit’s Chairman, Mr Promise Chukwu, who announced the strike on Tuesday in Abuja, said it was necessitated by ECN’s management failure to implement earlier agreements.
Chukwu said that ECN’s management had also consistently disregarded directives from superior authorities.
“Up tenth time, the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation issued clarification against the misleading and ignorant stand of ECN management on the `Non Research Institute’ status of the commission.
“Up to this moment, the Prof. Eli Bala led management has continued to retain some staff who had passed the statutory retirement age of 60 or 35 years of service in ECN.
“The questionable transfer of the ministerial supervision of ECN to Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST) from the Presidency and Federal Ministry of Energy, then (Petroleum and Power) is worrisome.
“The mandate of ECN is so peculiar that it can only be implemented with the condition and scheme of service that will address those needs; however 28 years after, the commission lacks comprehensive condition and scheme of service.’’
He said that the mandatory career progression training of staff had become a no go area as the management had turned blind eye to the skill gap and manpower of ECN.
The chairman said that the implementation of earlier agreements with the management was the only pre-condition for ensuring industrial harmony in the commission.
Chukwu listed some of the demands of the association in order to ensure stability in the commission:
“Investigate all the financial transactions in ECN especially the one in ECN Project Account; the association is ready to assist EFCC with supporting documents.
“Immediate reversal of controversial supervisory role of ECN from FMST to Presidency or at least, to one of the ministries where their function is directly related to energy such as Federal Ministry of Petroleum.
“Immediate reconstitution of the committee on conditions and scheme of service for ECN to address the peculiarity of the commission.
“Immediate implementation of recommendations of the Managing Committee on skipping of CONRAISS 10 salary grade; that is abolition of the post of Senior Officer 1 and 11 cadre and review the promotion issues connected therewith.
“Immediately release of promotion letters of staff that are due for promotion effective Jan. 1 and fast track promotion exercise of staff due for promotion effective Jan. 1, 2018.’’ He said.
He added that the management should immediately constitute a committee to look into staff welfare and liaise with the National Salaries Income and Wages commission to secure energy sector standard remuneration for ECN.
Chukwu called on President Muhammadu Buhari and relevant stakeholders to intervene and save the commission.
According to him, the industrial disharmony will continue until Bala is relieved of his appointment by the president.
Meanwhile, Bala did not pick several calls put across to him for his reaction neither did he respond to the test message sent to him as at the time of filing this report.
NAN
