After months of promises yet no payouts, workers at the National Identification Authority (NIA) have launched an indefinite strike starting Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
They say the Ministry of Finance has repeatedly let them down on the Operational Support Allowance, which tops up their basic wage.
The Public Services Workers’ Union (PSWU), NIA branch, announced the strike on Monday, following what they described as a fruitless final meeting with finance officials. In their statement, they called the decision “difficult but necessary.”
This allowance emerged from negotiations in July 2024 with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the Finance Ministry. Payments ran from August through December. Then, silence. Since January, staff have gone unpaid—even as they’ve held off on strikes out of respect for management’s assurances.
“Repeated follow-ups, constructive engagement, and our demonstrated willingness to cooperate in good faith have regrettably not been met with the urgency and seriousness this issue demands,” the union declared.
NIA management claimed at a June 18 press briefing that payments would resume “very, very soon.” However, Monday’s finance meeting failed to produce any tangible commitments. That, the union says, shattered their patience.
They acknowledged allies who tried to help but blamed the Finance Ministry for pushing staff into “financial and emotional strain”, from headquarters down to regional and district offices.
“This industrial action is not taken lightly. It reflects the deep frustration of staff who have endured this situation for far too long amidst persistent neglect,” the union stated.
As a result, the union directed all NIA staff to withdraw services immediately. They also urged members to stay peaceful and united.
“We remain open to dialogue, but only if it results in the full and prompt payment of the Operational Support Allowance as negotiated, agreed, and signed,” the statement concluded.
