NITDA inaugurates committee to address staff welfare, workplace concerns
0
0
NITDA inaugurates committee to address staff welfare, workplace concerns
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA has inaugurated a Joint Management-Union Committee to address issues relating to staff welfare, training, productivity and workplace conditions.
The Director-General of the agency, Kashifu Inuwa, announced the constitution of the committee during the closing ceremony of NITDA’s Human Resources Sensitisation Week 2026.
Inuwa said the committee was established to provide a structured platform for staff concerns to be discussed and resolved through consultation, rather than being handled on an ad hoc basis.
He said the initiative would bring representatives of management and the staff union together to deliberate on employee-related matters and promote transparency in decision-making.
READ ALSO: Mambilla: Tinubu stakeholders hail Nigeria’s $3.38bn arbitration victory
The DG said employees remained central to the agency’s ability to fulfil its mandate, stressing that effective management should go beyond the enforcement of rules and procedures.
He said, “People are the operating system of the Agency. We want to unlock your potential. We want to make you innovative so that the Agency will achieve its mandate.”
Inuwa urged the Human Resources Department and management to focus more on unlocking employees’ potential, rather than merely managing personnel.
He said the committee’s responsibilities would extend beyond training to other issues affecting staff welfare, directing its members to commence work immediately.
The inauguration followed concerns raised by staff over the allocation of training opportunities and other benefits.
Inuwa said training and capacity development should consider employees’ performance and contributions, rather than being determined solely by rank.
Staff members also raised concerns over inadequate working tools and the need for quicker intervention when employees are involved in medical emergencies or accidents.
Responding, the DG said NITDA had procured digital tools and was working to ensure that staff were equipped with the resources required to perform their duties effectively.
He added that the agency had expanded training opportunities in recent years, including international programmes.
Inuwa described the relationship between management and employees as a “social contract”, saying both parties had responsibilities in ensuring organisational success.
He, however, urged staff to reciprocate improved welfare with greater commitment, productivity and punctuality.
The committee comprises management representatives, including the Director of Finance, Director of Human Resources, a representative of the DG and auditors, while the staff union is expected to nominate four representatives.
Earlier, the Director of Human Resource Management, Sarafa Lawal, said the role of human resources had evolved beyond recruitment, personnel administration and staff welfare.
Lawal said HR had become a strategic function in driving organisational performance, culture, capability and sustainability.
He described employees as strategic assets rather than costs to be managed, stressing that investment in training, professional development, coaching and career development amounted to investment in institutional capacity.
He added that human capital development was a shared responsibility among the HR department, directors, heads of departments and individual employees.
The three-day sensitisation programme featured professional development activities, a football competition, a workshop for administrative staff on the new HR T-Model and an HR Clinic that enabled employees to engage management on human resource-related issues.
The closing ceremony, attended by members of the top management, heads of departments and unit heads, also featured awards for outstanding performance, attendance and punctuality, as well as recognition for best-dressed staff members.
Cleaners, security personnel and other support staff were also among those recognised at the event.
