Rejoinder Sahara Reporters Publication Wed 20 Mar 24

RE: DICON STAFF THREATEN PROTEST OVER UNPAID WAGE AWARDS

Our attention has been drawn to a recent publication on the Sahara Reporters’ website, which clearly misrepresented the state of affairs concerning the welfare of staff in the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON). The article titled “Nigerian Defence Industries, DICON Staff Threaten Protest Over Unpaid Wage Awards” is not only mischievous and misleading to the general public, but is replete with falsehoods and inaccuracies that we would like to address.

Firstly, we wish to state that the claims made in the publication are entirely baseless and should be disregarded as there are no such plans of protest by our hardworking and dedicated DICON staff. Contrary to this dubious speculation and drums of chaos, DICON Management currently prioritizes and maintains a very cordial relationship with its factory staff. Our factory staff are currently well engaged in various productive activities that have recently been witnessed many important visitors such as the Honourable Minister of Defence, the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, and indeed the Chief of Defence Staff, who personally interacted and interfaced with the factory staff a day before the dubious publication by Sahara Reporters. It should also be noted that neither the current, nor previous management of DICON has ever engaged in the alleged misconduct as portrayed in the news story. Furthermore, it is important to state that DICON’s commitment to the welfare of its staff has remained a cardinal pillar of DICON’s Management Strategy. Others include Communication, Professionalism, and Building Robust Partnerships.

Before to the assumption of the present Director General, there were indeed outstanding allowances and entitlements owed to the staff by the Federal Government. However, proactive measures were taken to address these issues. Efforts were diligently made to engage relevant government bodies, resulting in the clearance and disbursement of outstanding payments, including the 40% Peculiar Allowance for January to December 2023, 2020 promotion arrears, and 2021 promotion arrears. Additionally, our hardworking staff have been recompensed with applicable work-related allowances that has greatly lifted the morale of our working staff. Records of such incentive allowances paid to our Management and Staff as recent as February 2024, can be made available to Sahara Reporters or any such media houses, that believes in conscientiously reporting the facts in the true spirit of journalism, and not in circulating misguided news to our noble reading public.

Moreover, continuous efforts are being made to ensure that all remaining outstanding allowances and entitlements, such as the 35,000 palliative promised by the Federal Government are settled promptly. DICON Management has consistently maintained open communication channels with staff, holding several meetings to provide updates on progress and address concerns on matters affecting staff welfare which include pay and allowances. Additionally, correspondence has been sent to pertinent government agencies, advocating for the settlement of outstanding payments, including the 2019 minimum wage arrears and the six-month N35,000 wage award.

Regrettably, Sahara Reporters chose to disseminate false information without seeking clarification from DICON Management. We reiterate our commitment to transparency and urge any staff member with grievances to approach management for resolution, based on our open communication policy. While protests and strikes are not endorsed under the DICON Act, constructive and proactive engagement with staff and constant dialogue remains a cornerstone of our approach in DICON. These have been the bane of our growing success story in the last few months, even as DICON cranks again its machine and resumes production of military hardware for our country Nigeria.

At DICON, fostering a harmonious and cordial relationship between management and staff is paramount. We are dedicated to upholding our vision of being a corporation built on a sound commercial footing, meeting the highest international standards in arms and ammunition production. Our mission remains centered on supporting the defence, security, and foreign policy objectives of Nigeria while contributing to the development of local industries and we will not be distracted by false and malicious publications as contained in Sahara Reporters.

We therefore urge Sahara Reporters and other media outlets to exercise diligence in fact-checking before publication. Misinformation undermines the integrity of responsible journalism and hampers the constructive dialogue necessary for progress.

Thank you.

MR MUSA YAKUBU

CHIEF PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

DEFENCE INDUSTRIES CORPORATION OF NIGERIA