By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Reporter
EMPLOYEES OF the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have declared their intention to initiate an indefinite strike starting from Monday, October 7, 2024.
Organized by the Federal Area Council of the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), the strike comes after the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to NAFDAC management, which failed to address key grievances raised by the union.
Moreover, the primary issue at the heart of the workers’ discontent is the agency’s failure to promote a significant number of staff members who participated in the 2024 promotion interviews.
Despite many of them 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.
However, this decision has left many workers feeling overlooked, particularly after their contributions to achieving the World Health Organization (WHO) maturity level 3 recognition for the agency.
One of the employees expressed disappointment, saying, “We have worked hard for the progress of this agency, and it’s disheartening to be denied our due promotions without a valid reason.”
In a statement, Comrade Salih Ahmed Aledeh, Secretary of the union, emphasized that the workers had exhausted all avenues of negotiation, and collective action was now necessary.
He stressed the importance of solidarity among the workers, urging them to stand firm in their demand for justice.
“The success of this strike depends on our collective resolve,” Aledeh stated. “Our zonal coordinators and state representatives have been directed to mobilize members across all formations to ensure full compliance.”
Among the union’s other pressing concerns is NAFDAC management’s failure to uphold an agreement signed in 2022, which addressed the workers’ welfare and promotion issues.
The union’s leadership has indicated that these unresolved matters have left them with no choice but to take industrial action.
Furthermore, workers noted that the indefinite strike is expected to disrupt NAFDAC’s operations, potentially affecting the regulation of food and drug products across the country.
With no clear end in sight, the public and stakeholders in Nigeria’s health sector are likely to feel the effects of the strike in the coming days, the union warns ahead.
