There is a growing concern at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over the crisis between its leadership and some top staff of the commission.
Reports in the media suggest that some of the staff of the commission and the management are at loggerheads following allegations of victimisation and what most of the staff termed nepotism.
The matter became more glaring with the recent promotion exercise in the commission where only a few zones were favoured, with majority of other zones failing to make the promotion.
Some aggrieved staff who identified themselves as “Concerned Staff” had alleged in viral online reports that there was a deliberate attempt to frustrate and suppress outspoken staff of the commission, especially those who are known to be questioning new policies introduced by the current leadership but inimical to the growth of the commission.
They accused the commission through several publications that the actions of the current NCC leadership undermined fairness and merit which contravened established Public Service Rules.
They raised concerns about logistical failures and inequity during the last promotion examinations.
According to the statement, some candidates were made to take the promotional examinations for nearly 24 hours, from 9:00 a.m. one day until 4:00 a.m. the next which pushed the management to issue an apology to the staff.
The report claimed that the staff mostly affected are from the south west and south east zones of the federation.
The report had claimed that in one promotion batch from Principal Manager to Assistant Director, no staff from the Southeast geopolitical zone was reportedly included. In another batch from Assistant Director to Deputy Director, only one southerner made the list.
However, in its response, the commission dismissed that any law was broken in the exercise.
Acting Head of Public Affairs Nnena Ukoha said the promotion exams were conducted for all cadres of staff eligible for a promotion in the agency.
She said the exercise was marked by “our commitment to integrity, fairness, and the needs of the industry for competent professionals to drive national objectives.
“In line with the Public Service Rules, the Commission’s organizational structure and manpower plan, each cadre had a defined number of vacancies, representing the number of personnel the Commission could accommodate at each level,” Kalu said in a statement.
“Staff who did not meet the required cut-off, or who passed but for whom vacancies were no longer available at their cadre, could not be promoted.
“Furthermore, the interview panels for staff were composed of credible management staff (drawn from each of the six (6) Geo-Political Zones), in addition to independent external members and representatives from the Federal Character Commission (FCC), who were present to provide oversight and ensure compliance with applicable regulations.”
But industry analysts who addressed the media in Abuja on Monday said they have information that some staff have been targeted for demotion or dismissal over the ongoing crisis in the commission. They questioned why such selective victimisation should be going on in a commission that had in the past been termed the best in terms of cooperate management.
Industry expert, Mr Felix Otene raised concerns over what is going on in the commission, urging President Bola Tinubu to wade into the matter considering the strategic role of the commission to Nigeria’s cooperate image both at home and abroad.
He also raised the alarm over the current panel set up by the management to investigate some staff.
“Today, we are particularly concerned about the ongoing at the NCC. Never have things been this terrible.
“The commission represents the face of Nigeria because it’s the gateway to communication and the country’s outlook both at home and abroad. And if such an organization with this kind of strategic role is enmeshed in crisis, it speaks to the shaky nature of the country’s outlook in the cooperate world. This must not be allowed to continue,” he said.
“There is no organisation in the world that its aggrieved staff must not complain. None that I know. And it’s not that the staff’s complaints are out of place. We ha seen the promotion document and what they are alleging is evidently clear. So why not have another look? Leadership includes crisis management. As you head an organization, it’s always good to have it at the back of one’s mind that organizational crisis is inevitable. It’s natural that those who feel aggrieved would raise the alarm, but in conflict resolution and crisis management, due diligence must be followed to address staff concerns. An administrator must call his staff to a roundtable, discuss with them and chart the best path to organizational growth.
“What we see at NCC today is selective victimization of individuals perceived to be outspoken. We see an organization that sees complaints from members of its staff as an attack.
“Today, we call on President Bola Tinubu to set up an independent panel to investigate the crisis at the NCC, else the current problem appears destructive and will affect the image of the country.
“At this digital age, NCC should focus more on digital economy and rake in proceeds for the government and not to be engaged in infighting. Most telecoms service providers are currently dealing with their customers, but NCC has continued to look away. Amid poor networks, exorbitant tariffs charges and call bugging, NCC, has done nothing, only to focus on how to punish its staff for speaking out. This is quite inimical to organizational growth in all rounds,” Otene said.
Also speaking, Mr Sam Anyanwu, a political analyst said: “If the speed and desperation the NCC has deployed in persecuting the member of staff is turned to improving the deteriorating quality of service, the telecom space will be better than it is.”
Anyanwu lamented the current state of the industry, calling on President Tinubu to focus more on activities ongoing at the commission.
“The staff have raised valid questions with regard to the civil service rules. We have seen the details of the promotion exercise, even the way the exercise was conducted. So what is wrong if the affected staff are complaining?
“I believe no organisation staff can rise against its management if there is no issue. And for NCC to pick some of its staff out to punish smacks of vindictiveness and this must not be allowed.
“Some of these things are clear violations of civil service rules. Are they saying that if staff are aggrieved for not being promoted, they shouldn’t ask questions? What sort of autocracy is that?”
Anyanwu warned that should the issue between the staff and management be allowed to linger, it may lead to serious litigations that will further distract a commission that is already being queried by the public over poor handling of complaints by telecom users.
