The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has rejected claims made by striking workers regarding their ongoing industrial action, labelling them as “untrue.”
The workers have been protesting for over a week due to dissatisfaction with the agency’s failure to promote a significant number of staff who participated in the 2024 promotion interviews.
According to the Nations, the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, Prof. Adeyeye acknowledged the management’s efforts to address workers’ welfare but noted that it is constrained by its mandate in areas such as promotions and specific remunerations.
Despite the ongoing strike, which has yet to be called off as workers’ demands remain unmet, negotiations to resolve the situation are reportedly in progress.
Many workers have expressed frustration over the lack of promotions despite meeting or exceeding the required standards in the recent evaluations, with over 500 eligible employees left without promotions due to management citing a lack of available vacancies.
Furthermore, the workers are calling for adherence to a 2022 agreement that addressed their welfare and promotion issues.
In response, the DG reiterated her commitment to the staff, stating, “Whether it is a matter of promotion or estacode, the agency has been following the rules and is committed to promoting the workers’ welfare.”
Prof. Adeyeye clarified that the NAFDAC management does not control the number of promotions and is only responsible for conducting examinations.
“The office of the Head of Service of the Federation is always responsible for allocating available vacancies that the government can pay for,” she explained. “It is not that there is a vacancy and we are not promoting. It is what the government can pay for that they approve as vacancy every year.”
Addressing concerns about the agency’s estacode policy, she affirmed, “There is nothing wrong with the agency’s estacode policy. Our staff have always been paid their due estacode, and we have never owed any staff any travel allowance.”
Akintola conveyed optimism regarding a resolution, noting, “The agency is not permitted to exceed approval given by the federal government, but I can assure you that the matter is being looked into at the highest level for a possible resolution without further delay.”
He emphasized the importance of NAFDAC’s role in safeguarding public health, stating, “A common ground would be found in due course, and everyone will go back to their duty posts.”
