NIMC workers accuse Nigerian Government of covering up COVID-19 in agency

The National Identity Management Commission officials across the country on Thursday began a strike action over the fear of COVID-19 spread in the agency.

The President of the Association of the Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, NIMC unit, Asekokhai Lucky, in an interview with one of our correspondents in Abuja, said already the virus had been detected in three officials of the agency at its headquarters.

He said the workers were annoyed because the management of the commission was aware of the development, but kept it from workers, who could have taken necessary precautions to protect themselves.

Lucky also said the workers would meet with government on Friday (today) to discuss COVID-19 scare and other issues that led to the strike.

Following the strike embarked upon by the workers, people who trooped to the NIMC offices across the country, were stranded as there was nobody to attend to them.

Recall that the Federal Government had, on December 14, 2020, ordered telecommunications firms to disconnect telephones lines of subscribers who failed to link their National Identity Numbers to their subscriber identification modules.

No fewer than 164 million Nigerians, who do not have the NIN have been trooping to the NIMC offices, disregarding COVID-19 protocols such as wearing of face masks and social distancing.

Lucky, in the interview with Punch on Thursday evening, indicated that what angered the workers was that government was aware that three employees of the NIMC had been infected and that others were at the risk of contracting the virus, but kept quiet.

He stated, “Three workers of the NIMC have contracted COVID-19 because in our recent meeting a member of staff actually testified to it.

“The minute of that meeting captured it, as three persons are down with COVID-19. Some of us actually thought those guys were on leave. It was cleared yesterday (Wednesday) that they were treating themselves in isolation centres.”

The union accused the management of keeping silent about the development despite knowing what this could mean to workers of the commission.

– Punch