The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NÀFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye has said that the reasons given by the striking workers of the regulatory agency are ‘untrue’.
The DG said rather, the management has been attentive to the workers’ welfare but will not overstep its bounds on matters beyond its mandates.
According to the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, in a statement on Monday, the DG reiterated her commitment to the workers’ welfare but emphasized that issues of promotion and certain remunerations are entirely not within the purview of the management.
The workers who embarked on industrial action a week ago were protesting the agency’s failure to promote a significant number of staff members who participated in the 2024 promotion interviews.
The workers said despite meeting or surpassing the required pass mark, NAFDAC management cited a lack of vacancies, leaving more than 500 eligible employees without the promotions they had earned.
They are also aggrieved over NAFDAC management’s failure to uphold an agreement signed in 2022, which addressed the workers’ welfare and promotion issues.
The protesters are yet to call off the industrial action as their demands have not been met.
The DG in the statement however said the reasons advanced by the striking workers against the agency are not true.
Since the assumption of office in February 2022, Akintola stated, the DG has spearheaded significant reforms to enhance the agency’s operational capacity.
According to him, the DG inaugurated 73 new operational vehicles, including 43 Hilux vans, 20 Toyota Camry cars, and 10 buses, in key locations like Abuja, Oshodi, and Apapa.
These additions were aimed at improving regulatory inspections, staff welfare, and operational efficiency.
Additionally, under her leadership, a N3.2 billion debt was cleared within a year of her appointment, demonstrating her commitment to cost-saving and effective management.
“Whether it is a matter of promotion or estacode, the agency has been following the rules and is committed to promoting the workers’ welfare.
“We are not in charge of the number of people to promote, we are only responsible for conducting exams.
“The office of the Head of Service of the Federation (HOS) is always responsible for allocating available vacancies that the government can pay for.
“It is not that there is a vacancy and we are not promoting. It is what the government can pay for that they approve as vacancy every year. It is not different from any other agency.”
On the issue of estacode, as raised by the striking workers, the NAFDAC boss said there is nothing wrong with the agency’s estacode policy.
“That is just playing to the gallery. Our staff have always been paid their due estacode and so, that is not an issue.
“We are not different from any other agency, the estacode will be paid when the evidence of the trip is presented. We have never owed any staff any travel allowance,” the DG affirmed.
It was however gathered that the management of the agency is still holding negotiation meetings with the aggrieved workers to persuade them to go back to work.
Akintola said: “The agency, like any other in the country, is not permitted to exceed approval given by the Federal government but I can assure you that the matter is being looked into at the highest level of government for a possible resolution without further delay.
“The government, the agency, and the unions are not oblivious of the importance of the role being played by NAFDAC in safeguarding the health of the nation.
“A common ground would be found in due course, and everyone will go back to their duty posts”.
