BY SAM OTUONYE

The Director General and Chief Executive Officer (DG/CEO) of Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Professor Hussaini Doko Ibrahim has been called out by the staff and Unions of the parastatal for lack of transparency, accountability and breach of official procedures threatening a show-down with strike and picketing.

The allegation was contained in a joint petition by the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and signed by the General Secretary, Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku, with copies to the Secretary of the Government of the Federation, the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chairmen of Senate Committee on Science and Technology, House Committee on Science and Technology, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), and Director General, Department of State Services (DSS).

The petition titled ‘Notice of Trade Dispute with the Director General /Chief Executive, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) and Notice of Picketing and Strike over Acts of Harassment, Intimidation and Victimization of Members of Executive Committee of ASURI at RMRDC’ stated that the Exco of ASURI, RMRDC branch in collaboration with NASU had addressed some internal memoranda to the DG bothering on observed highhandedness, lack of transparency, discriminatory promotion and other official malfeasance, but regretted that instead of their Boss to make amends he would rather issue queries, threats and intimidation.

Specifically, the petition highlighted some of the breaches to include: Non-inclusion of Unions representatives in Council’s Statutory/Standing Committees, non-remittance of pension, cooperatives, union and other deductions and discrimination in staff promotion.

Others are; manipulation of statutory four years term to five years, non-payment of allowances and palliatives, promotion of incompetency above merit, imprudent spending of official funds and desperate attempt to gag the unions.

The petitioners chided the DG for telling the Senators that his greatest achievement was the development of Killishi technology, lamenting that for ten years RMRDC has not been able to get a laboratory.

They also queried why the DG could not develop some products like Soghum, Glucose Syrup, etc. to a degree where Nigeria can no longer import them.

The petition read in part : “The Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI), which represents the welfare interest of Research Fellows in Research and Development Institutes (RDIs), Inter-University Centres, Colleges and Allied Agencies, hereby declare a trade dispute with the Director General/Chief Executive Officer (DG/CEO) of Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) following acts of harassment and victimization of members of the Executive Committee (EXCO) of ASURI RMRDC Branch.

“Sirs, we affirm very strongly that, as responsible leaders, the said memos were addressed to the Chief Executive and were neither externalized nor with any foul or insulting language. Querying our members, therefore, amounts to intimidation, harassment and victimization in the course of carrying out their normal functions as trade union executives.

“We have it on good account that some of the complaints in the memos are now being hurriedly implemented belatedly in a panicky measure and we are prepared to provide evidence.”

Continuing, the petition noted: “In declaring this trade dispute, therefore, we implore the Federal Government to direct the DG/CEO of RMRDC to withdraw the queries and address all the anomalies mentioned in the memo/petition. In addition, the appropriate agencies of the Government should probe the fiscal infractions that resulted in the delay of remittances of check off deductions from workers’ salaries to their trade union.

“If the prayers by the union for immediate intervention is disregarded, we will be left with no choice than to embark on picketing, strike and other permissible trade union activities at the RMRDC, on or before 8th April, 2024. We will not hesitate to direct all ASURI members to commence a nationwide strike to attract attention to the flagrant abuse of the rights of trade union leaders and ensure that no other Chief Executive in Research Institutes emulates the DG/CEO of RMRDC in breaching the rules of engagement of trade unions as enshrined in the extant laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, on receipt of the said petition by New National Star Newspapers, the reputable national daily, as a responsible organization, on the 26th of Febuary, 2024 wrote officially to the DG, Prof. Hussaini Ibrahim for ‘Right of Reply’ but showed no interest.