NAICOM Workers Storm Headquarters, Demand Reforms Over Alleged Unfair Labour Practices

|By Adejumo Adekunle

Workers under the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) chapter, on Monday staged a protest and picketed the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, escalating tensions over what they described as persistent neglect of staff welfare and unfair labour practices.

The aggrieved workers shut down activities at the premises, insisting that management had repeatedly failed to honour agreements and comply with directives from the Minister of Labour despite several rounds of dialogue.

Leading the protest, the union chairman, Ibrahim Mustapha, accused NAICOM management of eroding trust through what he described as deliberate refusal to implement agreed welfare and administrative reforms.

He declared that the workforce would intensify pressure until justice is served, warning that staff would not relent in demanding compliance with labour laws and fair treatment.

At the heart of the protest is a comprehensive 25-point demand list, which the union says captures longstanding grievances affecting staff morale and productivity.

Among the key demands are:

• Immediate promotion of eligible staff
• Transparent and fair recruitment and promotion processes
• An end to alleged “vindictive transfers”
• Equal access to training and career development opportunities

The workers also raised alarm over alleged preferential treatment in the distribution of allowances and car grants, insisting on fairness and alignment with prevailing market standards.

In addition, the union is demanding:

• Full implementation of monetisation policies
• Thorough investigation into internal administrative processes
• Inclusion of staff in key institutional programmes

They further highlighted concerns over poor working conditions in zonal offices, security lapses at the headquarters following reported theft incidents, and non-payment of outstanding allowances and rent advances.

The union called on NAICOM management to urgently return to the negotiation table to resolve the crisis amicably, stressing that the protest would persist until concrete action is taken.