E x-NIMASA staff seek intervention of Human Right Commission

Sixteen members of staff sacked by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) have urged the National Human Right Commission (NHRC) to intervene in their matter and ensure their reinstatement.

The appointment of the aggrieved staff members were terminated by the former Director General of the agency, Mr.  Raymond Temisan Omatseye.

Omatseye, who was suspended from office by former President Goodluck Jonathan on allegations of fraudulent activities in December 2010, was found guilty of some offences by a Federal High Court in Lagos two weeks ago.

In a letter signed by one Rapheal Omojo, the sacked workers accuse Omatseye of vindictiveness and nepotism.

The letter, dated 10th August 2015, addressed to the Executive Secretary of NHRC, Prof. Ben Angwe, and titled “Injustice done on 16 of us in a Federal Government parastatal- NIMASA” reads in part: “The objective of this petition is to acquaint you with our case with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

“During a recruitment exercise conducted in 2009, twenty-two (22) of us were interviewed and given employment (see attached) and we resumed and went through an industrial training. After which we were deployed to various department and issued with identity cards. A new Director General was appointed to replace Dr Ade Dosunmu, who was the Director General when we were employed.”

Omojo said that the appointments of 22 were terminated without any reason or payment of one month in lieu of notice.

He, however, said that only six persons were recalled at different times with the same appointment letter.

Omojo recalled that the director general, after three months in office called for the nullification of previous employment within six months prior to his coming on board.

He noted six people whose appointments were earlier nullified were reabsorbed with a new set of people numbering over 400.

“The recruitment exercise that brought in was free, thorough and fair and it cut across the geopolitical zones in Nigeria, and all of us are very qualified for the various departments. It is noteworthy that most of us terminated by Mr Omataseye resigned from previous places of work, after the thorough recruitment exercise we underwent, thereby causing us untold hardship.