The National Elections Commission (NEC) has clarified that twenty-five (25) of its employees were recently dismissed for gross misconduct and obstruction of the functions of the commission, but not because of any form of peaceful protest as is being reported.
According to a NEC release, the action of the dismissed employees resulted into attacking, battering, threatening, intimidating and obstructing the official movement and duty of the entire commission.
The release disclosed that the Policy Manual of the NEC (No. 3.15) states, “In situations of gross misconduct, the contract of an employee may be terminated immediately.”
The NEC Policy Manual defined gross misconduct as “behavior on the part of an employee which is so bad that it destroys the employer/employee relationship”, and observed that it merits instant dismissal.
The release described the dismissal of the 25 employees as “summary dismissal”—the immediate termination of their contract without notice or payment in lieu of notice.