Dare Babalola
Labour unions in Lagos have slammed the Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Jibrin Baba Ndace for his alleged vindictive redeployment of union leaders and management staff of the agency.
The union leaders made this known in a statement they jointly signed on Monday.
The statement was signed by the Lagos State branches of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), and the Radio, Television, Theatre and Art Workers Union (RATTAWU).
The group described the move by Ndace as a direct attack on unionism, transparency, and civil service integrity.
According to the unions, the redeployed officials were targeted shortly after raising critical concerns about the operational condition of VON’s Lagos office, accusing the DG of ignoring civil service rules and sidelining staff welfare.
The unions allege that instead of addressing the outlined issues, the DG opted for a retaliatory approach by redeploying those who dared to raise concerns, branding the action as a “gross abuse of power” and an attempt to silence whistleblowers.
“We remind the DG and the general public that union leaders and whistleblowers are protected by law and international labour conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory,” the statement read.
The union also demanded that the decision earlier taken by Ndace be immediately reversed, while also calling for a full investigation into allegations of financial impropriety and administrative high-handedness at VON.
They also called for a restoration of industrial harmony through dialogue and adherence to due process.
They warned that, “If these demands are not met, we will be left with no option but to mobilize our members in solidarity actions to defend the sanctity of unionism and the dignity of labour.”
