NHIA union issues seven-day ultimatum to management over staff welfare

Threatens strike over alleged victimisation, poor remuneration, stalled promotions

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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja

Tension is mounting at the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) as the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the management to reverse the transfer of its chairman and address concerns over staff welfare.

The union threatened to embark on lawful industrial action if the management fails to comply with its demands, raising fears of a possible industrial dispute that could disrupt activities at the health insurance agency.

The ultimatum followed months of alleged neglect of workers’ welfare concerns, unsuccessful attempts to secure meetings with management, and claims of intimidation and victimisation of staff who speak out against policies considered unfavourable to employees.

In a letter reportedly addressed to the NHIA management, the union’s national leadership demanded the immediate and unconditional reversal of the transfer of the NUBIFIE chairman from the authority’s Abuja headquarters to Kano.

The union reportedly viewed the transfer as an attempt to weaken its leadership and discourage workers from pressing for improved conditions of service.

When contacted to confirm the development, the chairman of NUBIFIE’s NHIA Domestic Unit acknowledged that welfare-related issues existed within the authority but declined further comment, saying the union’s national leadership had taken over the matter.

A senior officer at the authority’s headquarters in Abuja, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, alleged that staff had become increasingly apprehensive about speaking openly on their concerns for fear of victimisation or transfer.

The officer questioned the disparity between the Federal Government’s minimum wage increase and the salary adjustment reportedly granted to NHIA workers.

“How can the Federal Government increase the minimum wage by 133 per cent and then you give us a paltry 30 per cent in the authority after 12 years, given the prevailing harsh economic condition in the country and the present tax regime?” the officer asked.

The officer also alleged that the management had introduced or maintained policies detrimental to staff welfare, including prolonged stagnation in career progression, discontinuation of disengagement allowances, suspension of staff capacity-building training and delays in the payment of allowances.

Another staff member familiar with the situation said workers were struggling to meet basic financial obligations, including transportation costs, children’s school fees and house rent.

“Yes, it is true that NHIA staff are seriously suffering. Staff cannot meet basic needs such as transportation, payment of children’s school fees and house rent. Even the directors are just suffering and smiling,” the staff member said.

The staff member also raised concerns about the absence of a formal Condition of Service, which employees believe should provide clear guidelines on promotions, allowances, welfare entitlements and protection against arbitrary management decisions.

“Will you believe that this organisation does not have a Condition of Service? We are just on auto-pilot,” the staff member said.

The workers’ grievances also extend to what they described as the growing reliance on external consultants since the appointment of Dr Kelechi Ohiri as Director-General of the NHIA in 2023.

According to the allegations, consultants were being engaged and paid while experienced in-house personnel were increasingly sidelined, despite their institutional knowledge and technical expertise.

The development has raised concerns among staff about career progression, recognition of professional competence and the role of experienced employees in implementing the authority’s mandate.

The dispute comes at a critical time for the health insurance agency, which plays a major role in the implementation of the Federal Government’s health sector reforms under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The aggrieved workers argued that the success of the government’s health sector renewal programme depends partly on the welfare, motivation and capacity of personnel responsible for implementing its policies.

They maintained that poor working conditions could undermine staff morale and affect service delivery if the grievances were not urgently addressed.

The union’s intervention at the national level is expected to intensify pressure on the management to engage workers’ representatives and resolve the dispute before it escalates.

NUBIFIE reportedly warned that failure to meet its demands within the stipulated seven days would compel it to mobilise members across the country for lawful industrial action to protect workers’ rights and welfare.

The union’s ultimatum has now placed the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and other relevant authorities under pressure to intervene and prevent a possible breakdown of industrial relations at the agency.

While the workers insist that their demands are rooted in legitimate welfare concerns, the NHIA management is yet to publicly respond to the allegations contained in the claims made available to our correspondent.

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