The crisis rocking the Nigerian Postal Service reached a head on Friday as two major unions- the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies (SSASCGOC) and the National Union of Postal and Telecommunications Employees (NUPTE) said they were poised to prevent alleged fraud that have trailed the unbundling of the postal agency.
The unions said they are battle ready against the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, who they accused of leading what they consider to be an onslaught to bury the postal organisation finally.
While declaring a warning strike on Friday, the unions told journalists that too many irregularities had attended the unbundling just as they called on the Bureau of Public Enterprises and the Minister to stop immediately the process.
In a letter they had earlier forwarded to their members, the union while mobilising for the one-day strike, accused the minister of going ahead with the plans without regards for issues raised the by staff.
NPO Reports gathered that the alleged irregularities were some of the points earlier raised by the former Postmaster General of the Federation and CEO of NIPOST, Dr. Ismail Adebayo Adewusi, which ran him into trouble with the Minister.
Reliable sources at NIPOST said that Adewusi’s problems with the Minister, Pantami, began when he raised questions over he considered to be unacceptable procedures in the unbundling process.
They said the entire process has been shrouded in secrecy.
They said, “As responsible Unions that have sworn to protect the interest of their members and promote the corporate objectives of the Organization, we have engaged the BPE, Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and the Chairperson, NIPOST Governing Board on issues that bother around this reform, particularly the two subsidiary companies that were created (NIPOST Properties & Development Company Limited and NIPOST Transport & Logistics Services Limited).
“The Unions had on several occasions presented their position, stressing that the reform process is manned with fraud and irregularities but the BPE, FMoCDE, NIPOST Governing Board and the Postmaster-General/CEO have decided to pay lip services to the issues, instead, the Honourable Minister further directed those concerned to commence the take-off of these subsidiaries without recourse to our concerns.”
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They listed some of the concerns raised by the unions include:
1. The composition of the Board of Directors of these companies clearly shows that NIPOST as an entity has no influence or stake in these subsidiaries.
2. Section C of the objects for which the NIPOST Properties & Development Company Limited is established clearly states that the Company can SELL, lease or exchange the assets of NIPOST, a provision that empowers the company to sell off NIPOST assets if they so desire.
3. The proposed plan by the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) to share/hand over NIPOST properties to these companies is not necessary, as there is no basis for asset sharing since the said subsidiaries are owned by NIPOST as claimed by BPE.
4. The recruitment of Management staff of these companies was carried out without considering the current Management staff of NIPOST who are experienced in this sector and this Management is a separate entity from NIPOST Management as it neither report to the PMG nor form part of NIPOST top Management.
5. That the salaries of the Management staff of these Companies far outweigh the salaries of top Management of NIPOST, a disparity that is alarming, whereas the mid-level staff of these companies are placed on the NIPOST condition of service and salary.
6. The Honourable Minister, BPE and all those involved in this reform process have not made available any document or blueprint on the implementation plan of this process.
7. The shareholdings of these Companies as shown on CAC registration document are individuals, which raises a strong concern on whether or not NIPOST is actually the owner of the companies as claimed by BPE and there is no caveat anywhere stating that these individuals are holding the shares in trust for NIPOST.
The unions said the NIPOST reform is an affront against the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, especially the NIPOST Act.
“That the structure and process of the reform are not in any way in tandem with a reform of this nature as witnessed in other sectors that have undergone similar reforms, as this process is clearly an attempt to kill and bury the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) and throw our members into the labour market,” they added
They noted that NIPOST had not been receiving any form of capital funding from the Federal Government.
“And instead of releasing funds to strengthen this critical national infrastructure of government, funds are being diverted to the subsidiaries, which are being run and managed by a few individuals for their self-gains.
“While we are not opposed to reforms, we strongly insist that reforms are meant to strengthen institutions for higher productivity so as to meet up with deliverables as set out in the enabling law. We shall vehemently resist any attempt at weakening further the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST).”
The unions said they were aware that the BPE is already engaging consultants to privately go around the country to audit NIPOST assets instead of the team constituted by the Honourable Minister.
They said, “We are therefore calling on the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), the Director-General of BPE, the Chairperson NIPOST Governing Board, the Postmaster-General/CEO and others involved in this reform process to suspend the take-off of the subsidiaries and critically examine the concerns raised above with a view to addressing these anomalies.
“We hereby reiterate our commitment to the advancement of the course of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) and the welfare of our teeming members nationwide.”
Addressing the aggrieved staff, the postmaster general Mr. Sunday Adepoju appealed for calm just as he assured he would convey the grievances of the workers to the appropriate quarters.