March 22, (THEWILL) – Officials of the Nigeria Correctional Service have threatened to embark on industrial action anytime soon for alleged poor salary structure and general welfare conditions.
Also, junior officers of the Nigerian Police Force have since concluded plans to down tools over similar issues, compared to other security agencies in the country and such is not prevented may lead to security collapse.
A document obtained by journalists indicated that men and officers of the NCS, who have been aggrieved with the meagre salaries they receive despite the hazardous nature of their work, want the Federal Government to look into their plight or risk industrial action.
They accused FG of giving all the attention to inmates and the building facilities across the centres, without taking the welfare of the officers manning those facilities and caring for the inmates into consideration.
According to the document, “Now the big question is, why is all the attention of the Federal government focusing on the inmates, buildings and others, then neglecting the welfare of the officers employed to take care and correct the inmates in line with Mandela’s rule?
“In line with the United Nation Standard, minimum rules (Mandela’s rules), the correctional officers are well paid and taken care of in all capacities to enable them carry out their legitimate responsibilities for the betterment of the inmates and the Nation. But here in Nigeria, the reverse is the case.
“Our salaries and allowances are very poor for both the senior and the junior officers. We are traumatised to the extent of some staff committing suicide recently, due to neglect, poor welfare. If this issue is not addressed we are left with no option than to go on strike.
“We want to draw the attention of the federal government that the Modus Operandi of our NCS must be changed to commensurate with the new nomenclature. Officers and men should experience the correction firstly in different areas of their livelihood. They should be trained overseas, to be able to adapt to the system of operation for better productivity and to reduce cases of recidivism.
“Accommodations of the NCS officers both senior and junior, are eye sores except those officers who are very lucky to work in Akwa Ibom command and Ikot Ekpene custodial centre, but thatch/mud houses are still used as accommodation by the NCS officers in different parts of the country. No befitting Barracks
“The Nigerian Correctional Officers and Men did not receive a dime as palliative from the Federal government through out the Covid-19 lockdown, but we are still committed to our duties, caring for the inmates, providing guards and security to all the correctional centres to avoid any unusual occurrences to the facilities in Nigeria.”
They, however, called on President Mohammadu Buhari to intervene in their plight using his fatherly disposition, so that they would carry out their work effectively.
“Our outcry is to our dear father, president Mohammadu Buhari, to kindly come to our rescue. He should form a committee that will look into our welfare scheme, since we do not have a service commission or effective representation in the National Assembly. We don’t want to die in silence in this 21st century”, the document noted.
However, when the Force Public Relations Officer, HU Chukwuedo was contacted, he said he was not privy to any strike threat by the officers.
“Well I’m not aware of any threat by our officers to go on strike and I’ve not even gotten the lead from any quarter that any of our staff is protesting over anything”, Chukwuedo stressed.
He said he will investigate to know if such plans are ongoing without his knowledge, but agreed that their conditions of service and salary structure were porous.
