NIMC suspends proposed strike

The Senior Staff Association of the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC has halted its plans to strike.

The Chairman of the NIMC Senior Staff Association, Lucky Michael Asekokhai disclosed this after a consensus was reached in a meeting between the Union and Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami on Wednesday.

Asekokhai said the decision to suspend the strike was taken by the Union because of national interest and the ongoing national identity registration across the country.

Recall that the NIMC staff on Friday, January 8 suspended its 2-day warning strike pending a meeting to discuss if it will go ahead with a fresh 21-day strike.

Speaking after the meeting, Asekokhai said “We stepped down the previous strike to see how we can meet the yearnings of Nigerian Citizens.

“If you look around, you will see that everywhere is filled up today because they want to link their NIN with their SIM cards.

“You are aware that Government has announced that JAMB candidates will need their NIN to be able to register for JAMB this year, the FRSC has also announced that by second quarter of 2021, NIN will be a requirement for renewal of Drivers’ license.

“Those are some of the things that compelled us to resume work while we discussed the issues.”

“Last Friday, the Minister stepped into the matter, he has given us a face mask, face shield. The ones meant for state offices were dumped at Zonal offices and they asked the State coordinators to come and pick them up individually, and we say no, it is part of what we are agitating for.

“Pay me well, then I will live well, you are paying a state coordinator less than N100,000, yet, you expect him to use that same amount to run the state offices. At the end of the day, who reimburses who? They should be able to do what they said they will do, then, we will know that they are serious.

“At the end of the 2days warning strike on Friday, we issued fresh 21days ultimatum which is presently running and at the end of the ultimatum, if nothing happened, nobody should be held responsible because that is in line with the law. According to the law, we have to give them 21days ultimatum.

“In 2019, we issued this same 21day ultimatum on the same issues and till today nothing has happened. If you add 21 to 21, you have 42days and if after the 42 days, they still failed to do the needful, we will be left with no option than to go back to the streets to demand what rightly belongs to us.”