NAFDAC Workers Temporarily Suspend Strike

In a significant development, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) chapter of the Medical and Health Workers’ Association has suspended its indefinite strike for one month. This decision was confirmed by the union’s Chairman, Adetoye Ayodeji, during a telephone interview with a news outlet. “It was suspended for one month. Mr. Ribadu took it upon himself that he was going to engage and he asked that we give him some time,” Ayodeji stated.

The suspension comes after a crucial meeting with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, held on Thursday. Ayodeji explained that the meeting aimed to facilitate dialogue between the union and NAFDAC management. “We considered that one month should be enough for this,” he added, indicating the union’s willingness to allow time for mediation.

The workers had initially embarked on an indefinite strike due to grievances regarding poor welfare conditions and inadequate remuneration from NAFDAC’s management. The strike was declared after a 14-day ultimatum, issued on September 20, lapsed without any resolution to the workers’ concerns. Ayodeji emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that the issues could no longer be ignored.

Among the primary demands outlined by the union were the payment of outstanding salary arrears from 2022 and the settlement of various outstanding allowances, including burial expenses and life insurance payments. The workers have been vocal about their plight, stressing that “moving forward, all official travel expenses must be fully covered by management prior to the commencement of any local or international trips.”

Additionally, the union called for an immediate review of the 2024 Promotion Examination results, which had an alarming pass rate of only 35 percent. “We deem this percentage unacceptable and demand a minimum pass rate of 80 percent for current and future examinations,” the union stated. They also criticized the current examination content as excessively academic and not reflective of actual staff responsibilities.

Despite the workers’ claims, NAFDAC’s Director General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, refuted the allegations made against the agency. She maintained that the reasons provided by the striking workers do not accurately reflect the agency’s position or efforts to address their concerns.