The Nigeria incentive-based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending [NIRSAL Plc.] a $500 million non-financial and non-profit institution, was created by the central Bank of Nigeria [CBN] and mandated to manage agribusiness related credit risks in Nigeria. The most recent controversy rocking the organisation is the alleged maltreatment of contract staff, who have been the pillar of the organization since inception.
Although, the organization has been surrounded by a lot of controversies since its establishment in 2017. The alleged monumental corrupt practices and misappropriation of funds in the organization forced the CBN to suspend funding to the organization in 2021.
NIRSAL has about 900 staff among which an estimated 500 of them are contract staff stationed at the various Field Offices located in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory [FCT] who have helped to build the organization’s corporate image, carry out its mandate and achieve its key performance indicators through the generation of agricultural projects on a massive scale in the country. The remaining estimated 400 are core staff who provide support services for the field offices nationwide and are stationed at the organization’s corporate Head Quarters in Abuja.
The report reaching us is that contract staff have been disgruntled by the level of injustice meted on them by NIRSAL’s management. It was said that contract staff have been paid unfair compensation with no other benefits, and several measures has been taken to readdress but to no avail. And also, job dissatisfaction began during employment with the organisation’s consultants since 2017. However, the consultants were sacked by the previous management of NIRSAL due to poor handling of state operations, both morally and financially.
In February this Year, NIRSAL Plc. Purportedly sacked 500 contract staff who have been working for the organisation since 2017. It was reported by an inside source that the affected staff were paid one month salaries in lieu which was later converted to March salary, and threw them into a financial mess as some of them were indebted to banks. He added that the management has continued with the maltreatment and neglect of Field Offices contract staff despite their contributions to the growth of the organization. He added that NIRSAL management used favoritism and nepotism to confirm drivers, who were similarly employed on contract basis, and placed them on full employment benefits while the Field Officers who are the core business drivers, are left to maintain status quo as contract staff.
Another information gathered is that NIRSAL’s contract staff were excluded in an approximately #800 million hardship relief bonus from the federal government for all Nigerian workers and shared it among core staffs and drivers based on their ranks. This highlights the significant disparity and lack of recognition of same economic hardship faced by contract staff. He added that sallah bonuses were also exclusively shared among core staff who equally deserve to be rewarded to commemorate the festive. Other financial benefits that contract staff were excluded from are the #35,000 presidential bonus for all workers, 30% salary increment for core staff, yet no corresponding increase has been made for field officers and several others. This decision further widens the financial gap between core staff and contract staff, despite the crucial role the latter plays in the organization.
