NIMC workers begin strike amidst rush for NIN registration

Workers at the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced that they are on strike, they also announced the suspension of enrollment activities of NIN over the failure of the government to take adequate steps to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 on its members.

The NIMC’s unit of the association of senior civil servants of Nigeria made this announcement in a communique issued at the end of its congress on Wednesday, directed staff from grade level 12 and below to report to work today, January 7, but do nothing.

The association also asked NIMC workers across local government areas and special centers to stay away from work.

“The congress was convened to discuss the state of the exposure of staff members to COVID-19, and the salary structure and its representation in the annual appropriation, and the irregularities in the conduct of promotions, and the personal protection and safety in light of the covid-19 pandemic,” the communique read.

Some of their demands are a review of the “lopsided and irregular” promotion done in 2017 and 2020, implementation of the approved salary structure and its appropriation in the 2021 annual budget and adequate provision of work tools for civic data enrollment.

“It was agreed that all enrolment activities should be suspended with immediate effect pending when the aforementioned demands are met,” the union said.

“Consequent upon the just concluded congress of the above-mentioned association that took place on January 6, 2020, the unit executive directs all members of grade level 12 and below in the head office and state offices to report to their respective duty posts tomorrow January 7, 2020, and do nothing.

In December, The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had asked all telcos to disconnect the SIM cards of customers who have not integrated their national identity numbers (NIN) with their phone lines by the end of December 2020.

The deadline was later extended to  February 9, 2021, when all customers without NIN will be disconnected.