The National Elections Commission (NEC) faces criticisms and resistance regarding the mass dismissal of 25 employees, a move defended by the Commission as necessary due to gross misconduct and obstruction of Commission activities.
The NEC stated that the dismissals were not related to peaceful protest, highlighting the employees' alleged misconduct as the grounds for termination, in accordance with the Commission's Policy Manual.
In a statement released on Tuesday, December 3, the NEC defended its action, noting, "The National Elections Commission dismissed 25 employees for gross misconduct and obstruction of the functions of the Commission."
The statement, a copy of which is in the possession of the Daily Observer, also added, "Those dismissed were not as a result of the exercise of civil liberty through peaceful protest but misconduct which led to the stalling of normal activities of the Commission. They were not dismissed as a form of peaceful protest as it is being reported and misconstrued."
The NEC said its actions against the employees were in accordance with count 3.5 of its Policy Manual.
That portion of the Commission's manual states "In situations of gross misconduct, the contract of an employee may be terminated immediately."
According to the Commission, "The dismissed employees' action resulted in attacking, battering, threatening, intimidating and obstructing the official movement and duty of the entire Commission."
The sacked employees have expressed resistance to the dismissals and have sought intervention to challenge the NEC's decision.
The aggrieved staff, represented by spokesperson Rennie Gleegbar, have rejected the dismissals, labeling them as unlawful and a violation of their rights. They have urged the NEC to withdraw the dismissal letters without any preconditions.
While the NEC emphasized the employees' alleged actions of attacking, threatening, and obstructing Commission operations, the affected staff members, through their representative, maintain their innocence and claim they have been peaceful and law-abiding.
An NEC source noted that the commission's NEC's policy manual defines gross misconduct as "behavior, on the part of an employee, which is so bad that it destroys the employer and employee relation, and merits instant dismissal."
It noted further that such dismissal is often called 'summary dismissal.'
The Commission, however, did not make available a copy of the policy manual it relied on for its action, even after several attempts by this news organ to get it.
Sacked Employees Resist Dismissal
The aggrieved staff who also got dismissed have resisted the move by the NEC. While information from a source at the Executive Mansion has hinted that Madam Davidetta Browne-Lansanah's decision of dismissing the employees should be reversed and an amicable solution found to the issues raised by the aggrieved staff, the Commission's chief administrator appears not to be giving attention any such proposal.
Rennie Gleegbar, spokesperson of the dismissed employees, has written to Pauline Korkoyah, the NEC Human Resource Director who signed the dismissal letters, urging her to rescind the dismissals.
The termination letters were approved by Anthony Sengbe, the Executive Director of the Commission. The two top NEC officials acted on the instruction of Madam Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, the chairperson of the Commission.
"The aggrieved workforce, through its leadership, hereby rejects your action and message therein contained as being untrue, unlawful and constitutes a violation of the rights of the staff," the letter dated December 2, 2024, which is in the possession of the Daily Observer, says.
Gleegbar said the staffers have done nothing wrong and they will not honor the summary dismissal in any given term.
He called on the Commission to withdraw the dismissal letters immediately and with no precondition.
Nearly 20 employees have received their letters of dismissal but the leadership of the aggrieved workforce said about 40 have been targeted, something Gleegbar said is unfortunate and has no merit to be dignified.
"Almost all of them went to work today and no one disturbed them. Madam Davidetta Browne-Lansanah has been told to withdraw the dismissal of the employees and create the environment for the resolution of the ongoing issues but she does not want to listen," Gleegbar said.
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He said NEC's allegation that protesters prevented the Chairperson and other personnel from working is false as Police are always at the Commission's headquarters, most times on the request of the chairperson.
"If it were as they are trying to make the public believe, the Police could have been the first to investigate us. But, it is not true. We have only been guided and protected also against harm and harming other people. Those who are aggrieved are all sound minded people and educated. They know the law and have always been peaceful. We are only demanding to be treated fairly," he asserted.
According to Gleegbar, Madam Lansanah should stop buying public empathy against the backdrop that she is transparent and honest simply because she has reportedly disclosed a surplus from the 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections.
"She needs to stop pushing us too far. We are not ignorant people. We have worked for the Commission for many years and we know exactly that her playbook cannot pass a litmus test," he said, concluding that it is his hope that the right thing is done soon in order to put to rest the impasse.
