NASU- NACETEM Cautions Minister against DG Appointment

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

The Non- Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) of the National Center for Technology Management (NACETEM), Ile-Ife, Osun State, at the weekend cautioned the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation, Mr. Ikechukwu Ikoh to be guided on the appointment of Director General for NACETEM.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the NASU-NACETEM Branch Chairman: Olumide Fadakinte; NASU-NACETEM Secretary: Taiwo Adesiyan and the Treasurer, Ayodele Odu over the weekend.

According to the statement, stakeholders were not pleased with how Ikoh sidelined the due process established for the appointment of the agency’s Director General.

It frowned at the parallel committee formed by Ikoh to allegedly destabilise the already established and recommended process.

It stated that they were aware of stakeholders’ meeting which included Ikoh and the Minister of the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Olorunmibe Mamora, among others.

“We are aware that a gentleman agreement was reached by all parties at the meeting for the progress in question to progress and end successfully, having established that the original process was legitimate and credible.

“We are aware that you jettisoned the gentleman agreement and insisted that things had to be done your own way and not in any other way, regardless of what the rules say about the subject matter.

“You called for applications to be submitted to your office and singlehandedly set up a committee to take over the recruitment process, despite the existence of the Governing Board at NACETEM,” the statement added.

It further stated: “We are aware that concerned Nigerians who understood the imminent unpalatable consequences of your efforts at carrying out a kangaroo selection of a chief executive for NACETEM and other sister agencies under the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (FMSTI), sought legal intervention to prevent you from leading the FMSTI into illegality and plunging the affected Agencies with illegitimacy of leadership.’’

That, “despite the aforementioned efforts, to manage your over indulgence, you have shown your non-readiness to listen to the many voices of reason and logic alongside your chosen parallel committee.

“We are therefore, not only disappointed but totally dismayed by your impertinence to the voices of reason, and also at your contempt towards the Honorable Courts of the Land.”

A Human Rights Activists, Adedayo Aborisade, had sued Ikoh, for allegedly nullifying the recruitment process of a substantive Director-General of the National Centre for Technology Management, before a Court of Competent Jurisdiction.