FOLLOWING continued disharmony between the registrar and staff of the Institute of Chartered Chemistry of Nigeria, ICCON, which has led to alleged sack and suspension of four of its staff, Medical and Health Workers Union, MHWU, weekend issued a 7-day ultimatum to the management of the institute to recall the affected staff and withdraw the purported indefinite suspension or face picketing.

Handing down the ultimatum during a protest rally at the premises of ICCON in Yaba, Federal Area Council MHWU Chairman, Comrade Ibe, Stephen Nwokenta, also called for the removal of ICCON the Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, Prince Jay Oritejone Oghifo, for alleged incessant sack without following due process.

The union also accused the registrar of high-handedness in handling the affairs of the institute. Leading the  protested, Comrade Nwokenta said if the sacked and suspended members of staff were not recalled as demanded, the union would picket ICCON after two weeks.

Affected ICCON staff include: Mr. Etim Bassey (account officer, who was demoted by the registrar to store keeper); Bammodu Taiwo (duty registrar, who functioned as the former deputy registrar of ICCON); Atanda John, Duty Registrar 11 who was also sacked; and, Umar Bello (ICCON’s former chief accountant, who was sent away from his duty post and currently placed on interdiction); and vice-chairman of MHWU, ICCON Branch, who has been on indefinite suspension since October 10, 2012, was also sacked.

The workers alleged that the Registrar was also engaging in illegal employment, by engaging his cronies through the back door and using Federal Government funds to pay them.

During the rally, members of the union openly protested the leadership of Oghifo displaying placards with various messages: ‘Oghifo Must Go’, ‘No More Kitchen Cabinet in ICCON’, ‘ICCON Staff Are in Bondage’, ‘Oppression Must Stop in ICCON’.

Addressing journalists, Nwokenta accused Oghife of dictatorship and subjecting the staff of ICCON to unnecessary harassment. His words, “Oghifo is a dictator. He has no human feeling. He lacks the character to lead public service. Therefore, he must go. Enough is enough”

Nwokenta said due to the persistent oppression and harassment the staff of ICCON, many of whom were members of the MHWU; it had become imperative to free them from the bondage.   Investigations revealed that Oghifo placed Bello on interdiction because he was absent from duty without permission and insubordination. Although, going by Civil Service Regulation, a panel ought to investigate the circumstances of Bello’s case and make recommendations on the interdiction, Oghifo single-handedly removed him.

Efforts by Vanguard to reach the management proved abortive as the registrar and other senior management team of the institute was away in Abuja for an official assignment.