Members of Federal House of Representatives on Wednesday, during the plenary session, endorsed the sack of 4,026 workers of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
In a passive manner, however, the lawmakers urged President Goodluck Jonathan to direct the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) to absorb them into Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA).
The resolution was reached as the House adopted the recommendations of the House Committee on Public Petitions, chaired by Hon. Uzo Azubuike, on the dismissal of the NIMC staff.
Presenting the report, Azubuike explained that the committee has no problem with the mass sack because the exercise followed due process. He added that the affected workers were laid off based on the need for technology-driven manpower.
“Our committee had no problem with the exercise because facts before us revealed that the commission had to take action in order to avert redundancy. As a result, one person can do the work of five people within 10 minutes,” he said.
“During our interactions, we found out that due process was followed by the commission and all the trade unions supported the exercise through dialogue. We also learnt that the organisation would still recruit about 1,000 workers that are qualified to carry out the technology-driven schedules of the agency.”
Azubuike, however, stressed that the security implications of sacking over 4,000 workers at once, compelled the committee to urge the Federal Government reabsorb them into the Civil Service.
He also urged the commission to present the disengaged staff to private partners for first option consideration of those suitably qualified under the new scheme.
