Civilian Staff of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria-DICON has called upon the Federal Government to intervene on issues relating to transparency, unfairly payroll payment of staffs among other sharp practices in the industry.
The civilian staff, who came out in protest in large numbers anonymously for fear of victimization in Kaduna, stressed their dedication to serving the country through weapons manufacturing for the military and security agencies, and even industrial development.
They however lamented neglect by DICON to meet its obligations which have impacted civilian employee morale, that may raised serious concerns about fair treatment.
“We are denied access to a critical program that promotes transparency and efficiency in wage distribution: the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). This exclusion prevents us from receiving the recent wage increases implemented for IPPIS-enrolled employees.”
‘as DICON is a non-union workplace, we are staging this peaceful protest on a symbolically significant day for workers’ rights: May 1st. This comes amidst reports of a list being compiled to terminate the appointments of those believed to be spearheading the ongoing protests’,they explained
The protesters said the civilians work force made all attempts to address lingering concerns through open communication with DICON’s management but it had fallen on deaf ears.
‘Management has brushed aside our concerns, and even the Employee Town Hall promised by the Director-General to be held every two months has never been held. This lack of transparency is further hindering progress.’
‘we are owed eight months of minimum wage arrears dating back to 2019. Additionally, we haven’t received the N35,000 six-month wage award initiated by the federal government in September 2023’, they narrated.
They further feared that the demoralization and potential dismissal of a highly skilled workforce with exclusive expertise in producing restricted goods like weapons and explosives may pose a significant security threat.
‘disgruntled or desperate workers could be more vulnerable to exploitation or radicalization, potentially jeopardizing the security of these sensitive materials’,they concluded
The protesters therefore urged President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Defence, and other relevant agencies to take immediate action to address their concerns.
Cov/Teddy Daniel
