By Nkechi Eze
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has inaugurated a Joint Management-Union Committee to provide a structured platform for addressing staff welfare, training, productivity and workplace concerns across the Agency.
The Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, inaugurated the committee during the closing ceremony of the Agency’s Human Resources Sensitisation Week 2026, stressing the need for staff concerns to be addressed through structured consultation rather than on an ad hoc basis.
According to Inuwa, the committee will bring representatives of management and the staff union together to deliberate on employee-related issues and promote greater transparency in decision-making.
He said effective management goes beyond enforcing rules and procedures, noting that employees remained central to the Agency’s ability to deliver on its mandate.
“People are the operating system of the Agency. We want to unlock your potential. We want to make you innovative so that the Agency will achieve its mandate,” he said.
Inuwa said the committee’s mandate would extend beyond training and capacity development to broader issues affecting staff welfare, adding that its members had been directed to commence work with urgency.
The initiative followed concerns raised by staff over the allocation of training opportunities and other benefits. Inuwa said capacity development should take staff performance and contributions into account rather than relying solely on rank.
Staff members also raised concerns over gaps in working tools and the need for faster intervention when employees face medical emergencies or accidents.
Responding to the concerns, the DG said NITDA had procured digital tools and was working to ensure that staff were provided with the equipment required to perform their duties effectively.
He also noted that the Agency had expanded training opportunities in recent years, including participation in international programmes.
Inuwa described the engagement between management and employees as a “social contract” in which both sides had responsibilities, urging management to sustain attention to staff welfare while challenging employees to reciprocate with greater commitment, productivity and punctuality.
He said improved welfare should be matched by improved performance, stressing that the Agency stood to benefit when employees were provided with the right conditions to develop their capabilities and contribute fully to its mandate.
The Joint Management-Union Committee comprises representatives of management, including the Director of Finance, Director of Human Resources, a representative of the Director-General and auditors, while the staff union is expected to nominate four representatives.
Earlier, the Director of Human Resource Management, Mr Sarafa Lawal, said the role of human resources had evolved beyond recruitment, personnel administration and staff welfare to become a strategic function in organisational performance.
Lawal said modern human resource practices should strengthen organisational capability, culture, performance and sustainability by ensuring that employees understood the Agency’s direction, responsibilities and opportunities for professional growth.
He described employees as strategic assets rather than merely costs to be managed, noting that investment in training, professional development, coaching and career development should be regarded as investment in institutional capacity.
The HRM Director added that human capital development was a shared responsibility involving the Human Resources Department, directors, heads of departments and individual employees.
While HR provides policies, systems, tools and support, he said managers must provide leadership, coaching and feedback, while employees must take ownership of their responsibilities and performance.
The three-day Human Resources Sensitisation Week featured professional development sessions and activities aimed at promoting staff interaction and recognising contributions across the Agency.
The programme included a football competition, a workshop for administrative staff on the new HR T-Model and an HR Clinic that provided employees with an opportunity to engage on human resource-related matters.
The closing ceremony was attended by top management officials, heads of departments and unit heads, while awards were presented to staff for excellent performance, attendance and punctuality. Best-dressed staff members were also recognised, alongside cleaners, security personnel and other support staff.
