Anxiety is building at the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) Unit, as its management has ignored the guidelines of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Presidential Taskforce (PTF) on Covid-19 which stipulated screening and self isolation of suspected cases.
On the outbreak of covid -19 at the PTAD premises, the management was said to have made provision for the screening of staff in batches and decontamination of the PTAD premises.
However, it was gathered that the batches of staff that was screened were directed by management to return to office pending their last result while screened staff are still meeting with other staff that are waiting to be screened.
Other PTAD staff who are awaiting their test results were not directed to embark on compulsory leave while the staff that came in contact with staff that had been screened were allowed access to others that tested positive at the headquarters, contrary to PTF and NCDC guidelines.
In a statement entitled; “Concern on the poor management of the outbreak of Covid-19 in PTAD HQs”, and signed by the chairman and Secretary, the National Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate Unit, Tamunotonye Festus-Abibo and Musa Mohammed, respectively, PTAD in the last one month, been battling with over 20 positive cases of covid-19 among its staff.
The PTAD management was also alleged to have failed to direct pensioners who fall within the WHO’s description of most vulnerable group to covid-19 is people over the age of 60 years and people with pre-existing medical condition to stop visiting the premises.
According to the senior staff Association, “There was outbreak at the venue CSPD project zone 5 office of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) due to the obvious non adherence of the Covid 19 protocols of social distancing at the centre. It is on record that members of staff working on this project complained bitterly at the absence of social distancing in the set up of the venue.”
The Association further stated that the management took the step to shut the project and screened all staff involved as required by the presidential Taskforce and NCDC covid-19 guidelines, but it took another two weeks to screen other staff that was at the same venue for the project which caused anxiety among the staff.
Upon their screening, more positive cases were reported which threw staff into further panic.
“It did not come as a surprise to staff when positive cases were reported of staff that was never at the CAC venue of the project as there were daily movement of some staff especially the IT unit between the project venue and PTAD headquarters.
“But to our utmost surprise, staff that was screened was directed by management to return to office pending their last result. Screen staff had no option than to meet with other staff that are staff that were still waiting to be screened.
“The directive to staff is contrary to PTF and NCDC guidelines when there is an outbreak of this deadly virus in an organization. Kindly refer to page 10 of the NCDC guidelines for employers and businesses which states that “while awaiting laboratory test results, employee should be self isolation.
“After the first positive case of covid-19 at the PTAD premise on 26 November, 2020, three weeks later, some staff are still coming up with positive results as the management has failed to uphold government guidelines in containing the spread of covid-19.
“Most Staff who tested positive were encouraged by the management not to disclose their test results to other members of staff, this we can confidently say aided the spread of the virus within the organization.
“Since the outbreak of covid-19 at PTAD’s premises, management has refused to direct that these pensioners be informed about the outbreak as to stop them from visiting the office physically and even still allowed staff that is either yet to be screened for the virus or awaiting the result of their test attend to these vulnerable pensioners.”
To ensure that PTAD contain the spread of the outbreak of the covid-19 within its staff and curb the exposure to our aged and infirmed pensioners, the senior staff union advised the management to decontaminate the PTAD premises without further delay as almost all staff has come in contact with staff that have tested positive, directly or indirectly.
They also urged the management to ensure all staff are tested as well as take advantage of technology for staff to work remotely from home, pending the reopening of the HQ.
“With the recent cases ofcovid-19 at PTAD HQ s of Wednesday December 9, 2020, another total decontamination of the office be carried out as required by NCDC and PTF guidelines.
“Staff that tested positive to covid-19 due to the failure of the management to shut down the office as at when the outbreak was detected, be paid hazard allowance to cover the cost of their drugs and even the test for their family members who they might have been exposed to this deadly virus. All Staff awaiting their results should be directed to proceed on compulsory self isolation pending the release of their test results as stated in the PTF and NCDC guidelines.”