...lauds management on promotion, examinations
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Senior Staff Association of Communication, Transport and Corporation (SSACTAC) has said that it has kick-started a process that will culminate into the review of salaries, and other benefits and entitlements of the senior staff of the agency.
President of the body, Comrade Benson Adegbeyeni in an interview with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos yesterday equally commended the management team of NPA, led by Mallam Habeeb Abdullahi for initiating examinations and interviews as a way of promoting workers.
Comrade Adegbeyeni who recently took baton of leadership of the association from his predecessor; Comrade Omeiza Jimoh, told our correspondent that the union has set up a committee to review the condition of service for workers, including repatriation allowance, insurance, retirement benefits among others.
"If people are getting one salary for over 10 years, it demoralizes them and it doesn't encourage them to put in their best. I have been a victim of what they called 'salary bar' and that is why people like us are trying to change things for people that are coming"
"I spent 11 years on one grade and getting same salary, there are lots of things wrong with the system, these are what we are out to correct. It may be difficult but gradually we are moving", he assured
He said that gone were the days when NPA workers stay on one level and same salary grade for 11 years without getting promoted.
According to him, examinations and interviews are now being conducted and workers who are able to scale through the process are promoted immediately.
"Thank God that NPA has started writing exams, gone were those days when somebody stays for 11 to 12 years and they say there is no vacancy, but now we have introduced exams and interviews, provided you write the exams which will be conducted by ASCON and you passed, there is nothing stopping you from getting promoted"
"I so much like the way the examination is introduced, some believe that they cannot broaden their knowledge again, some believe that this is the end to life, meanwhile there is no limit to learning", he told our correspondent.
The SSACTAC President noted that the promotion exercise has encouraged everyone to sit up and put in their best at NPA.
According to him, in the past, people find themselves in the positions they do not work for, just because they have a godfather.
He stressed that, though the examination commenced last year, it was last week Wednesday that those who as at the time of the exams where on sick bed and on leave abroad held their own and they did their exams and interviews simultaneously.
The benchmark for the examination according to him was hitherto placed at 70% score line, but it was eventually brought down to 50% and those who passed the exams have been promoted.
Meanwhile, those who failed the examination are asked to wait and retake the exams again.
He assured that the union will equally make sure that the workers put in their best at work to ensure that NPA flourish.
"All hands must be on deck to do their own beat" he said.