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Antonio Lex Firma, a law firm has threatened to withhold salaries of its employees if they do not have the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) as part of their civic duty ahead of the 2023 general election.
The Awka-based law firm said in a memo
“I am directed by the Principal Partner of Antonio Lex Firma Barr.A.K Agbasiere (KSJI) to inform all the Staff of the firm and the domestic Staff that 9th and 10th of June, 2022 will be Work Free (sic) day,”
“this is to enable all the staff to go and register and get their pvc. consequently, anyone without pvc will henceforth not receive salary.”
Kelechi Agbasiere the managing partner of Antonio Lex Firma as a way to defend his action said his action was not a violation of his employees’ right because it is his firm and he has the powers to set the rules as long as there is fairness.
“I have the right to hire and fire because it is my law firm,” Mr Agbasiere said on Friday morning.
He added, “You are obligated to perform the civic duty, otherwise you show yourself as unpatriotic and irresponsible and it can be a ground for administrative punishment.” He said he has earlier announced the policy and gave the employees time off to comply.
He said he would be bearing the cost of their compliance since he would not make deductions from their salaries for the two days the employees would be away from work.
Meanwhile, the law firm’s no-PVC-no salary policy has sparked debates, drawing knocks and kudos from different quarters as people make known their view concerning the action taken by Mr Agbasiere. In a similar development, the Alaba international Market in Lagos was shut down on Thursday for traders to obtain their PVCs ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Folarin Falana aka Falz the bahd guy will perform at a free concert for citizens who have their PVCs or Temporary Voter Cards on June 11 as a way to encourage others to get their PVCs.
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