Why Civil Society Groups intervened in FIIRO DG, Staff Saga
Comrade Emmanuel Ayodeji, Comrade Usman Babale and Comrade John Atani ar the press conference in Lagos.
The Coalition of Civil Society Groups Against Corruption in Nigeria has yielded to the call by the Senior Staff Association of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO) to wade into the issue surrounding the Acting Director General, Dr. Chima Igwe and the staff of the institute.
The group at a press conference at the weekend in Lagos gave reasons for their intervention and the result of their findings.
In a text of press conference at the weekend which was jointly signed by Comrade Emmanuel Ayodeji, Comrade Usman Babale and Comrade John Atani, the Group said, “A couple of weeks ago, the issue surrounding FIIRO and her acting DG was brought to us through a petition by the senior staff association of the institute requesting that we look into it as a civil society organisation with a few to picketing and joining the call for the removal of the DG.
“As a responsible organisation which shall not be used to bring anyone down, we looked into the facts of the matter and found out that the ethnicity card is being played in this matter…. Nigeria remains one undivided nation where ethnicity does not come before qualification. No one should further divide the people by playing ethnicity card as the DG of FIIRO should be devoid of tribe or regionalism as a federal institute.
“With the intent of framing him up and bringing him to national and international disrepute, we wish to point out that throughout his public service career till date, Dr. Igwe has distinguished himself as a beacon of excellence, hope, accountability, probity and transparency in Nigeria and beyond; as well as a role model for millions of Nigerians irrespective of affiliations, religion or tribe. Since his emergence as a scholar and head of an institute, Dr Igwe has never been indicted publicly or privately for financial malfeasance or any form of ill conduct.
The group also warned in strong terms that “as a coalition of civil society organisation, we will not sit idly by and watch any Nigerian being maligned; oppressed or ridiculed by a group of people for personal gains and vindictiveness.”
It also demanded “that the media trial, blackmail and ridicule of the personality of Dr. Chima Cartney Igwe be stopped immediately.
“That all players in the game of shame and particularly the leadership of the staff union be probed for their involvement in bringing the name and integrity of the institute to disrepute and for breaking the civil service rule in the engagement of the press without exhausting the internal mechanism of government and her agencies.
“That the civil service rule be applied to anyone found guilty or culpable in the trouble that has bedeviled the institute.
“That the ICPC again make known and public their finding as regards the issue surrounding the certificates of the acting DG.
“That the honourable minster of science and technology allow the acting DG to be confirmed in full capacity through recommendations to the presidency for such a confirmation.
“That the office of the head of service open books of records and investigate all heads of departments and directors in the institute to determining their culpability or otherwise in the crisis that befell the institute.
“That a letter of apology be written by the staff Union to the Acting DG and such publicized in the dailies for bringing disrepute to the person and personality of Dr. Igwe.”
