By Favour Nnabugwu

WORKERS of National InsuranceCommission, NAICOM, have yesterday commenced a 3-day warning strike over perceived refusal of the management of the Commission to sign an agreement reached on September 26, 2017.

On the auspices of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical Recreational Services Employment, AUPCTRE, in Abuja, demanded for the removal of the Commissioner for Insurance, Alhaji Mohammed Kari.

NAICOM

The workers are protesting among others, unpaid allowances, poor welfare, lack of promotion, working tools and capacity building.

Other grievances include delay in the review of insurance Act 2003  by the National Assembly, claiming that the proposed insurance bill, when passed, would move the sector and commission forward.

According to AUPCTRE chairman, NAICOM chapter, Ibrahim Abdulateef, accused the management of being a stumbling block to the progress of the commission and insurance sector, contended that over a month after the agreement was reached between the union and the management of the Commission under the supervision of the Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, the Commissioner of Insurance (CFI) and his management team have refused to sign the agreement.

The AUPCTRE chairman said the CFI claimed  there were some clauses in the agreement that must be changed before the management  could append its signature, lamenting that CFI did not mention the management disagreement before the Minister of Labour.

One of the clauses which the CFI objected to, according to him, included the illegal employment.

He also said that the Commission has not taken the issue of staff capacity, welfare serious while outstanding allowances are still pending.

Speaking to Vanguard, the Assistant Director, Corporate Affairs, Mr. AbdulRasaaq Salami, claimed the management had begun to look into some of the contending issues, insisting that the strikie was unnecessary.

Salami said “For a very long time, there has not been replacement of working tools but to replace the tools, the Commission would have to follow due process. It is not a decision that can be taken at the whisk of a finger. The Commission has been trying its best to ensure peace with the staff and union. It has even commenced the payment of the union dues in October.”