Staff of the Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB,Lagos, have been directed to locate and resume work in Abuja on or before Monday next week or face sanction.
The directive is contained in an internal memo to the administrative department of the Bureau and failure to comply would be view seriously.
During a visit to the Bureau office, some of the staff were seen moving their personal and official belongings out of their various offices in compliance with the directive.
Some of the staff who spoke to our correspondent and did not want their names mentioned said, they have not been given relocation allowances to enable their seamless relocation, get a temporary place to stay before getting a permanent residence.
“We on Wednesday received a letter from the admin department, which directed us to move to Abuja without prior notice. We were given till Monday to relocate to Abuja even when we don’t have a befitting office there and nothing is being said about our accommodation. And as we stand, no one is talking about relocation allowances to the workers”.
They alao disclosed that, over 90 per cent of the workers were yet to collect their January 2022 salaries and currently they were financially cash trapped.
“Even, in the civil service rule, you can’t compel staff to relocate without the payment of relocation allowances. Staff are using their personal resources to relocate government property to Abuja.”
The affected staff were annoyed that, their in-house unions may have compromised as they were yet to show concern to their plight.
When contacted on the matter, the Deputy General Secretary, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Comrade Frances Akinjole denied his union in the know of the relocation directive to the staff of AIB.
Another union leader, Secretary General, National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, Comrade Ocheme Aba, admitted knowing about the relocation order but however said, some senior staff of the bureau, particularly those in the finance department have been paid relocation allowances since 2020, but refused to move.
He also confirmed that most of the staff were yet to get their January salaries but they had been assured by the Ministry of Aviation that once they move over to Abuja, their salaries would be paid.
“Information I gathered is that some of the staff have been paid relocation allowances for some period now, but refused to move to Abuja. As you are aware, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) last week sent a letter to the agency that they wanted to demolish the building for apron for the new terminal at the Lagos Airport”.
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