As staffers of National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) gear up for the forthcoming elections of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE),the Executive Secretary, Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma has made it clear that he was not sponsoring any candidate for any position; neither will he interfere in the Union’s matters.
The ES made this known, Tuesday, 19th May, 2015 at the Institute’s Head Office during a Staff General Meeting, urging members of staff to be wary of those who would come to them under the guise of being his anointed candidate(s), warning that such persons should ignored and should not be voted for, as he will never impose any person on the Union.
He, however, drew attention to the fact that the Union was not an alternative Management in the Institute but that they should see the relationship as collaborative for the overall development of the Institute, expressing dismay over rumours making the rounds that he had bribed some executive members of the Union, saying such insinuations were mischievous.
The ES also used the opportunity to clarify other thorny issues, such as, reasons for the non-payment of NICO Training School allowances before commencement of the programme, promising that Management will look at the possibility of paying those proceeding to the Training School before the commencement of the programme, but declined the request to increase the allowances due to the poor funding situation.
On completion of payment of 28 days in lieu of hotel accommodation owed a few members of staff, the NICO CEO acknowledged receipt of the circular letter from the Honourable Minister of Finance, urging MDAs to pay from their overheads but said that had not been possible because of lack of fund.
Again, on the delay of payment of Year 2013 promotion arrears to beneficiaries, Ayakoroma said the documentation had since been done by Finance and Accounts Department and submitted to the Federal Ministry of Finance, as such, the issue was beyond the Institute, and that NICO was not a revenue generating organization that could pay the arrears internally pending final action by the Budget Office and urged the affected officers to be patient.
In the area of manpower development, he accepted the fact that there had been a sharp decline in the number of staffers sent on workshops compared to Year 2010, 2011 and 2012, but that it would be totally unfair for the Union to say that no staff training and development had been done for the past three (3) years, when they were even asking for the payment of workshop allowances due some members of staff for the last two years.
He then advised staffers to shun rumour mongering and engage in more productive ventures that would help move the organization forward because that was the only way they could justify their employment.
Present at the meeting were the Director, Administration & Human Resources, Barr. Abayomi Oyelola, mni, Director, Research & Documentation, Prince Bamidele Olusa, and Director, Finance & Accounts, Mr. Godson Ordu, among other Senior Management Staff.
Philemon Udeh
NICO HQS