TheCable

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has denied planning to sack 1,000 members staff, alleging that some members of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), who recently picketed its head office in Abuja, have a criminal case to answer.

The commission accused ASCSN of framing up allegations of corruption against Chris Onyemenam (pictured), NIMC director-general, in order to make the government relieve him of his job.

“On Tuesday May 12, 2015, the made good its threat, widely published in the newspapers recently, to PICKET the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) over claims that management planned to ‘sack over 1,000 staff’ who are members of the ASCSN,” read a statement issued by the commission.

“They further alleged impunity on the side of management, claimed that the NIMC under the leadership of the director general, Chris ‘E Onyemenam, whom the Union wanted sacked by the government, had not delivered on the mandate of the NIMC, in particular, the issuance of national eID Cards. They further alleged financial misconduct, corruption and unfair labour practices.

“These allegations and claims are false and an unfortunate misrepresentation of facts. They are malicious and calculated to discredit the Board, top management and the person of the DG over the handling of disciplinary cases of staff members found to have falsified their service records.

“It is not true that NIMC has planned to sack or retrench 1,000 workers. However 406 senior members of staff who falsified their service records and thus have been profiting from that fraud, have been formally reported to the appropriate offices for further action.”

The commission described the actions of ASCSN as unfortunate and added that such conducts were targeted at diverting attention from the fraudulent case involving its members in the commission.

“It is unfortunate that on a day the national eID Card is being internationally recognized as the ‘Best African Payment Initiative in 2014, it is being disparaged at home. The National eID Card is currently being distributed across the Federation from our State Offices.

“It is regrettable that some members of staff with questionable service records who have been slowing down the pace of the implementation of the NIMS are now bent on disrupting the smooth arrangement put in place for citizens to enrol and subsequently come to collect their eID Cards at their convenience and upon notification,” it said.

NIMC also refuted the allegations of discrimination against pregnant staff members, tribalism, among others leveled against it, saying the commission would keep striving for the best.

On Tuesday, members of the ASCSN picketed the commission’s offices in Lagos, Abuja and Minna, capital of Niger state, leading to a paralysis of activities.