Angry workers ground Head of Service of the Federation office over poor welfare

Official activities were on Wednesday brought to a standstill in the office of the Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF) by angry workers protesting poor welfare and unfriendly work environment by the Federal Government.

They shut all the entrance gates to express their anger over the HoSF, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita’s preference for organisational reforms at the expense of their welfare.

The workers, who gather under three unions: Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), Association of Senior Civil Servants Union (ASCSU) and the Secretaries Union of Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, alleged that Oyo-Ita had been busy introducing reforms, but neglecting their welfare.

The workers asserted that the claims that HoSF was introducing reforms where civil servants’ confidence would be enhanced were doubtful, because they were operating under very deplorable conditions.

The Vice Chairperson of Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), Mrs. Hafsat Usman, said that the HoSF had been making promises about better workers’ welfare without fulfilling any of them.

Usman said that Oyo-Ita and some selected top officials had been travelling to various countries for selfish purposes, while claiming that there were no funds to address important issues such as workers’ welfare.

She said: “We are protesting because of our poor welfare, we are not getting anything, there is no other benefit we get as workers other than excuses. During the last Sallah celebrations, the workers did not get anything, even after the 30 days Ramadan fasting. And another Sallah is coming, and there is no hope that we are going to get anything.”

“They initially agreed to give us N50,000 as welfare package for the two Sallah celebrations, but now, they said we will get only N15,000. So, we are asking what happened to the remaining money?”

The Vice Chairman, Association of Senior Civil Servants Union, HoSF Chapter, Mrs. Aisha Mohammed, alleged that the work environment in the Head of Service had not shown that the management was prepared to address their grievances.

Mohammed said that productivity has declined by the attitude of the management that has remained indifferent to the plight of workers.

According to her, workers can stay for three to four days loitering around the office, due to lack of power supply in their offices.

“We come to work and sit for two three days without electricity to work, once the Head of Service is not in the office, no one puts on the generator for us. They will always tell you there is no diesel on the generating set, but once the Head of Service comes to office, they will put on the generating set, and as soon as she goes out, it is put off.

“We can go on like that for three to four days; new workers have been employed but there is no induction course for them. How do you expect them to put in their best? The elevators are not working; workers climb to the eleventh floor using the stair cases. We have cases of pregnant women who have lost their pregnancies climbing the stair cases.

“Enough is enough, workers cannot continue to go home with N7,000 payslip at the end of the month just because they have over borrowed. More than 70 per cent is being taken from workers’ salaries every monthly. Is that the better life that she is talking about?

The Director of Information, HoSF, Mrs. Olawumi Ogunmosunle, who reacted to the protest, said that “the Head of Service was at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, but “we were able to inform her, she has promised that as soon as she is done the meeting, she would meet with the executives and resolve whatever grievances they have”.