The Joint Unions and Associations of the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom in Plateau State on Wednesday commenced a three day warning strike, demanding that the office of the Accountant General of the Federation refunds their net monthly salary deductions for January and February,

The staff who admitted receiving another payment after their December salary, said they had thought that the payment was in line with President Goodluck Jonathan pronouncement in Lagos that he gave staff of the Federal Public Service bonus, only for the Integrated Personnel Payroll

The Joint Unions and Associations of the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom in Plateau State on Wednesday commenced a three day warning strike, demanding that the office of the Accountant General of the Federation refunds their net monthly salary deductions for January and February,

The staff who admitted receiving another payment after their December salary, said they had thought that the payment was in line with President Goodluck Jonathan pronouncement in Lagos that he gave staff of the Federal Public Service bonus, only for the Integrated Personnel Payroll

Information system (IPPIS) to write the Execitive Director few weeks later stating that the payment was made in error.

Briefing journalists in Jos, Chairman of the Joint Unions, which has six affiliate bodies, Aliyu Atiku, alleged that one third of the January salary and two third of their February pay were deducted to make up for the said system error payment made to them in December.

The Unions added that, if the payment was actually made in error, it has been taken care of by Chapter 15, section 1522, Subsection of Government Financial Regulations which states that, ” Over payment not involving fraud made in the previous financial year charged against the consolidated revenue fund or development fund , it is not necessary to adjust it but the abandonment of the recovery must be registered by the Accountant General as a loss”.

The Chairman who was represented by the Chairman of the Association of Veterinary Research Officers, AVRO, Mr. Timothy Woma, explained that this was what prompted the staff to embark on the three day warning strike to express their dismay and dissatisfaction with the way and manner which the whole exercise was carried out; pointing out that in some cases the amount removed was actually more than the bonus paid.

By this action, he said the staff are demanding that the net monthly salary deduction be refunded to boost the morale of members of the associations and unions who were working round the clock through surveillance and prompt laboratory diagnosis to contain and stop the further spread of the ravaging highly pathogenic Avian Influenza ( Bird Flu) and its associated harm to our economy and health of Nigeria.

The Unions maintained that staff of many other Federal Institutes and Parastatals including the office of the Head of the Civil Service, Institute of Animal Health and Productions, Institute of Land Resources and Technology, Federal College of Animal Health, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel received the same bonuses and only those of them in Vom were repaying.

He said the body had earlier written to the management of the institution to state its grievances and had given it 14 days ultimatum to stop the deduction and refund that of December salary already removed, but they went ahead and deducted from the February salary.

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NVRI Staff Commence Three Day Warning Strike