Reps To Probe Alleged Victimisation, Unfair Labour Practices In News Agency Of Nigeria

The House of Representatives has unveiled plans to investigate the alleged victimisation of employees at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The federal lawmakers made the resolution on Wednesday at the plenary in Abuja

An editor with the agency, Collins Yakubu-Hammer who was suspended from his position claimed it was because he used his position as a union leader to challenge an ‘illegality’ by the NAN management.

According to him, the ordeal started on September 23, 2021, when he, alongside officials of three labour unions, challenged an ‘illegality’ they observed in the promotion examination the Nigerian government-run agency organised for staff on August 26, 2021.

The unions are the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Radio, Television, Theatre Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recreational Service Employees (AUPCTRE) and the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporation and Government Owned Companies (SSASCGOC).

The unions, in a joint release, which was forwarded to the NAN management, requested that the promotion granted to five staff, which they said did not follow due process, be reversed.

According to the statement, five members of staff were ‘secretly smuggled into the venue to write (sit) the promotion examination against the public service rules.’

They alleged that the Head of Admin, Abdulhadi Khaliel, and the Director of Finance, Accounts, Oladele Ojo, ‘conspired to promote their ‘cronies’.’

Yakubu-Hammer was subsequently transferred by the management and suspended for his role in the crisis by the NAN management.

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