SSAUTHRIAL Calls for Implementation of 2021 Promotion Exercise

Funmi Ogundare

The Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions, Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (SSAUTHRIAL) has called for the full implementation of 2021 promotion exercise conducted by the former Chairman of its Governing Board, Alhaji Ibrahim Gwarzo.

However, the exercise was suspended due to a series of petitions raised against it to the Federal Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation, in which issues about irregularities in the institute’s nominal role were raised.

The Chairman of the association, Togunde Mumeen in a telephone interview with THISDAY, said  the promotion has already been budgeted for in 2022 personnel budget, adding that if it is not implemented either this month or in December, the money will be returned to the treasury.

He wondered why the entire staff of the institute were stagnated, saying that a former Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu had a special interest in the affairs of FIIRO because of its former acting Director General (DG) Chima Igwe  who is currently facing trial for alleged certificate forgery.

Igwe was appointed the acting DG of the institute on 13 May, 2019, and demoted to research officer in February 2020 after failing to present his PhD certificate more than 17 years after claiming to have bagged the degree.

He had also received several promotions based on the purported certificate. His alleged offence came into the limelight when his colleagues petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practice Commission ( ICPC). 

According to Mumeen, promotion was conducted in 2021 by the Alhaji Gwarzo- led board and all stakeholders, including the Federal Character Commission, sister agencies, as well as university representatives who were supposed to be on the panel for the promotion, came. “The election was conducted, results ratified and letters were issued out to all promoted staff.”

The chairman stated that after the promotion, a new governing  board, led by Alhaji Gambo Magaji, was constituted, alleging that he was only interested in acting out the script of Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu.

“Everybody expected the implementation of the promotion, but suddenly, we heard that they have suspended it. As a union, we believe it was the reason why Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu does not want that promotion to fly because of Chima Igwe. FIIRO has never been in this kind of mess before.”

He however, appealed to the new Minister of Science and Technology, Senator Adeleke Mamora to look into the major crisis in the institute.