By JohnMark Ukoko, Lagos
The Management of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) led by its Ag Director General, Dr (Mrs) A.E. Asagbra, is agitated over the sustained demand by stakeholders for the return of the N25 million purportedly stolen from the staff Cooperative Society and the FIIRO Muslim Community Co-operative Society.
The situation apparently forced the management to summon emergency meeting recently to appeal to the union to sheath their sword over their demands.
According to an impeccable source who spoke on condition of anonymity to our correspondent, the union insisted that the management must meet all of their demands as indicated in their letter to the management before they would accede to any peace meeting.
The N25 million stolen by some unknown staff of FIIRO management in Finance and Accounts Departments of FIIRO must be returned by management, substantive Director General must be appointed without further delay, are some of the demands.
“Outstation officers who attend promotion interview from zonal offices from the six geopolitical zones must be paid their duty tour allowance (DTA), otherwise management must travel round to conduct the promotion demanded interviews,” the union said.
It will be recalled that the Non-Academic Staff Union Educational and Associated Institutions, FIIRO branch, had in a letter dated 22 April, 2021, addressed to the Ag DG of FIIRO, titled: “Our grievance and unresolved issues” demanded appointment of a substantive DG who must be selected through due process and transparency.
The letter signed by the branch secretary Oyebanji Samuel and the branch Chairperson, F.F Ogunleye partly reads:
“The demand for appointment of substantive DG/Chief Executive Officer of the institute cannot move forward in the right direction until we have a substantive DG which must be appointed following due process of short listing to interview and recommendation of successful candidates to the ministry who will then forward the board recommendation of successful candidates to the Ministry who will then forward the Board’s recommendation to the Presidency for approval of one candidate to be appointed as the DG/CEO.”
The source said, “FIIRO is now grossly unproductive, we are just living on the past glory, how long are we going to continue like this? When has the appointment of DG become the duty of the Governing Board? Must we play politics with everything because of vested interest? I have to state categorically that this mischievous move of the board and the conspiracy being carried out are politically motivated,” the source said.