FRANCIS ACHI/ Abuja

Olabisi Aniso, Vice Chairman of the Civil Service Union, NPC HQ Abuja

The civil service union at the National Population Commission (NPC),  Abuja have  vowed that Dr. Ghaji Bello, the embattled Director General of the Commission will not return as the DG after his tenure expired , but  he was re – appointed again by the federal government to continue to tinker the affairs of the commission.

To demonstrate their vehement resolve that Dr. Bello will not return as the DG of the Commission, the members of the union locked up the main gate to the office and work was paralysed at the headquarters of the Commission at Wuse Zone 7, Abuja on Tuesday.

Speaking to the media in Abuja , Olabisi Aniso, who is the Vice Chairman of the Civil Service Union said that the staff have decided to put an end to incompetency and corruption, as she noted that the re-appointment of Bello was a signature that corruption and total neglect of staff welfare have come to stay and terrible disaster is looming at the Commission.

“We are protesting the re – appointment of Ghaji Bello as the DG of National Population  Commission. The coming back of Bello means disaster , corruption and incompetency for the NPC,” Aniso said.

Adding further that : “The DG is heartless regarding the welfare of staff .We have colleagues that died some years ago and no death benefits paid till date. Retired staff are yet to receive their retirement benefit.

“NPC is the headquarters of corruption in Nigeria and the anti – graft agencies of government should investigate the Commission . Adhoc staff on the field have not being paid . Drivers are being owed salaries , even messengers who are surviving on monthly salary of  N15,000.00 were owed for 10 months. It was just few weeks ago that the DG managed to pay 3 months of the salaries owed the messengers,” she added.

Aniso also revealed that training of staff is nothing to write home about. New staff are recruited and they resumed work without undergoing induction training and this is not acceptable in an organisation that parades herself as the headquarters of data in Nigeria , a country with a population of over 180million people .

“No training of staff in NPC under Ghaji Bello. The Commission will employ new staff without training. No induction . There is no proper orientation and training before they start working.

“This is the headquarter of data in Nigeria and we say no to Ghaji Bello to make the place filled with inefficient work force due to his corrupt practices during his tenure as the DG of the Commission, ” the Union leader said .

On the way forward for the Commission, Aniso said that members of the union are of the firm opinion that government should do a proper probe of the first tenure of Ghaji Bello as the DG of the Commission, while also stressing that the civil service union will continue with their protest until government reverse the renewal of tenure of Bello as the DG of the Commission.

” Government should send their anti – graft agencies to probe the activities of the Commission under Ganji Bello. Let them look into the financial transactions of NPC during the tenure of Bello and reverse his appointment as the DG.

” NPC is meant for professionals who are demographers . How can someone who studied Yoruba language be made the Minister of Finance? The economy will definitely collapse. Ghaji Bello is not competent to be the DG and we will continue with our protest until government meets our demand,” she concluded.