Nigeria’s traffic wardens threaten strike action over non-release of promotions
By Daniel Agada, Jos
There appeared to be widespread groaning and collective complaints making the rounds in some quarters that, the entire Traffic Wardens in Nigeria have concluded all necessary plans to embark on an indefinite strike actions following the non-release of their promotions alongside with their colleagues on General Duties (GD).
This, according to our source who pleaded anonymity, was because of non-release of their promotions which was recently released August 2, 2023 to their colleagues from General Duties (GD), even when the immediate past Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Baba Alkali, ordered on June 13, 2023 as a preconditions for their promotion and assessment to be carried out on the basis of years in service, experience and signal requesting for their nominal rolls sent immediately to that effect as seen below.
He, said, “this treatment always done to us over this non release of promotion is an indication of how unfair we have been dumped and treated in terms of injustice and inhumane treatment always meted to us by Police Authority when it comes to their promotions and welfare as Officers of the Force.
“This unfair treatment to we the Nigeria’s Traffic Wardens has been on since fifteen (15) to sixteen (16) years ago reducing them to nothing, but a mere tools to actualize the constitutional provisions of controlling traffic both on highways and street across the country saving of lives of Nigerians.
“We want to state irrevocably that, if this promotions are not released immediately, we will have no option but to be forced to resort to other options.
“We are law abiding citizens of this great formation and would be grateful if our cry is look into immediately, but if our plight is not considered, we will be forced to do the contrary because those who lives in glass houses are not to throw stones.
However, it would be recalled that, the earlier announcement made by the FPPRO, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, before he was later promoted to ACP created a lot of jubilations among officers and Men, but when successor, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, took over the mantle of leadership, the issue was swept under the carpet without any cogent reason from the Police Boss and our hope gradually faded before our very eyes.
“For the past 15 to 16 years (2007/2008) now, we only enjoyed two promotions but the Police were configurated to Inspectors the same 2007/2009 while in most states, Traffic Warden are still Sergeants without any senior person to lead them as the same goes to 1991/1992 intake who have been stagnated for years and are languishing with inspector ranks while their counterpart are Asp two Stars.
“Also, Wardens who were promoted to the rank of DST since 2016 are said to have reached their climax and as such no promotion for them until retirement.
“Therefore, we are appealing to the acting IGP to use his highly exalted office as the number one citizen of the Force and a father to all by releasing our promotion just as he has done for General Duties Police”, they appealed.
These concerned Wardens also enjoined the IGP to recruit more applicants to complement the few of them who were over stretched over the years because of lack of Man power and would really appreciate it when all of these requests were immediately put into serious consideration.
