NATIONAL: NIN registration to continue on Monday as NIMC workers suspend strike

BARELY 24 hours, after they stopped attending to the mammoth crowd besieging their offices across the country to obtain their National Identity Numbers, workers of the National Identity Management Commission, have returned to work.

The workers had cited the fear of Covid-19 spread in the agency as one of the reasons for embarking on the just suspended industrial action.

It was gathered that the workers decided to put the strike on hold after a meeting with the Federal Government, where it was agreed that the demands of the employees would be addressed.

Confirming the suspension of the strike the President, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, NIMC Unit, Asekokhai Lucky, said workers of the commission were being notified to resume work on Monday and continue the enrolment of citizens for National Identity Numbers.

Lucky said, “We just finished the meeting and the minister (of communications and digital economy) has intervened in the matter. He has promised to look into our grievances.

“So, we will be meeting with the minister on Tuesday and on that note we’ve called off the strike and all workers will return to their offices by Monday morning.”

On whether the association had communicated the latest development to its branches nationwide, Lucky replied,

“Yes, we are doing it right away. We are putting out a memo to that effect which will be everywhere in 30 minutes.”

He said the Trade Union Congress, which was the mother body of ASCSN, was part of the meeting with the government, as a 21-day ultimatum was served on the management of NIMC.

The union leader said, “We actually served the management of NIMC a 21-day ultimatum based on the issues of welfare and safety against COVID-19 that we raised.

“The ultimatum starts counting today officially. And for it to start counting officially from today we had to step down the strike we embarked on yesterday. So on that note also we’ve called off the strike, while the ultimatum starts running.”