The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), says the reduction in the number of days civil servants appear physically at work is not economically beneficial to the country.

Tommy Okon, ASCSN national president said this in an interview with newsmen on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Okon said that the new development would also affect the productivity of the workforce.

It could be recalled that President Bola Tinubu had on May 29th, announced the removal of fuel subsidy, prompting economic challenges for majority of Nigerians.

This led to some civil servants cutting down the number of days they appear at work physically.

According to Mr Okon, Nigeria is not ripe for such system, where people can sit at home and work steadily.

“The issues of poor electricity or internet facilities will naturally pose challenges to such working pattern.

“Nigeria is not there yet because we don’t even have the power, no electricity, the internet facilities and the rest of it.

“We are used to physically being present in the workplace, where things are done. That is the culture of work in Nigeria,”he said.

“Also, when you look at the future of work in other developed countries, yes, we can adopt work at home, we can adopt artificial intelligence, we can adopt every other means,”he said.

He added these can not be adopted in the Nigeria context or African extension, because we are trying to come out of the woods and culture and environment are different.

According to him, going by the developmental issues in labour management relations, there are three basics E’s which are energy, environment, and the economy and they must be present in order to achieve developmental milestones.

ASCSN president also said the palliative programme being mulled by the federal government in view of the subsidy removal policy to cushion the hardship was ‘over’ delayed.

According to Mr Okon, salaries of civil servants have remained static despite the subsidy crisis that has impacted much on livelihood of Nigerians.

“What is the take home, if you have removed fuel subsidy for three month now and the take home of the federal civil servant remains static, there is nothing coming and nothing going out, it a problem,” he said.

He also alleged that the 40 per cent peculiar allowance that the union canvassed for and got from the last administration, was now being taxed.

“We have sent a memo to government that allowance should not be taxed, so that tells you that those managing the economy do not understand how things work,” he said.

He however, called on the governments at all level to ensure proper distribution of the palliatives given to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal in the country.

He also urged them to setup implementation committees both at federal and states level with chairmen to ensure proper accountability for the palliatives distribution.

(NAN)