ASCSN renews appeal for payment of gratuity to workers

UFOMBA UZUEGBU

Organized labour under the aegis of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has renewed appeal to the Federal Government for the restoration of payment of gratuity to public service employees.

The union also passed vote of confidence on  the leadership of Comrade Tommy Etim Okon and Alade Bashir Lawal, President and Secretary-General respectively.

Rising from its National Executive Council (NEC) held in Lagos on Tuesday ,the union   regretted   that   since   the   enactment   of   the   Pension Reform Act 2004, the Government had  stopped paying gratuity to Public Service Employees even though the Act did not abolish payment of gratuity which   is   why   gratuity   is   still   item   44   of   the   Second   Schedule   on   the Exclusive Legislative List of the Constitution of  the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and as such remains an inseparable component of Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The NEC accordingly lent its voice to the   call   by   the   National   leadership   of   the   Association   on   President Muhammadu Buhari as father to all Nigerians to, without any further delay, direct the payment of gratuity to public service employees in the interest of justice, equity and fairness.

In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, the union observed with dismay, the rising wave of crimes in all parts of the country and noted with dismay that escalating incidences of violence have created a specter of fear among the citizens.

It accordingly urged the Federal Government to rejig the security architecture in the country and reposition it to meet the aspirations of the citizens so that they could go about their daily activities without fear or hindrances

The communique signed by the President and Secretary-General respectively read inter alia: “The NEC-In-Session equally reflected on the free fall of the Naira against the US Dollar including other international currencies and the consequent rise in the cost of living which has brought untold hardship to millions of citizens. It, therefore, enjoined the Government to take necessary measures to improve its monetary and fiscal policies to shore up the naira and check the consistent downward slide of the currency.

“The NEC-In-Session commended the National leadership of the Association on all the actions it had taken so far to strengthen the Union to enable it continue the pursuit of members’ welfare and endorsed the decisions it had taken in recent times to ensure that those who wanted to derail the Union were shown the way out.

“The NEC-In-Session ratified the decision of the CWC to expel the former leadership from   the   Association   of   Senior   Civil   Servants   of Nigeria in line with Rule 13(vi) of the Union’s Constitution.

“The NEC also ratified the recommendation of the CWC making the Acting   National   President, Comrade   Tommy   Etim   Okon  , the substantive   National   President   of   the   Association   of   Senior   Civil Servants of Nigeria.

“The NEC equally ratified the decision of the CWC on the contract appointment of the SG, Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal, till December2022(d) The NEC-In-Session resolved to expel any member or staff of the Union   found   to   be   relating   either   directly   or   indirectly   with   the expelled leadership or any other group sympathetic to his cause of plotting to destabilize the union”

NEC-In-Session   accordingly   passed   a   vote   of   confidence   on   the National President of the Association, Comrade Tommy Etim   Okon PhD, the   Secretary-General, Comrade   Alade   Bashir   Lawal, and   the   Central Working Committee (CWC) and endorsed all the actions they had taken so far to redeem the image of the Association while simultaneously protecting the   interest   of   members   in   the   Ministries, Departments, and   Agencies(MDAs) throughout the Federation.

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