FIIRO workers fault HEDA’s ‘old dump site’ allegations

Workers of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FIIRO) Lagos, have described a petition by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) calling the Institute “an old dump site” a figment of lies. 

The workers condemned “the undue interference in the internal operations and management of the Institute by some external forces.”

According to a statement by FIIRO Branch of the Academic Staff Union  (ASURI) signed by the Chairman, Comrade (Dr.) Ahmed Aroke, the Union denied the claim by HEDA that FIIRO is an old dumping ground without any meaningful activity.

Aroke explained that the allegation is a mischievous fabrication of lies that do not portray today’s situation at the nation’s premier research institute.

The union stated that what HEDA described in its petition was the situation at FIIRO three years ago before Dr. (Mrs.) Jummai Adamu Tutuwa took over as the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the Institute.

“it is lack of patriotism for anyone to claim there’s no meaningful activity taking place in the Agency that has been rated the best among the best during the annual Science, Technology, and Innovations Expo in 2023 and 2024 back to back

The Workers also noted that with the efficient and astute management skills of the current Chief Executive, the Institute has returned to the path of glory for which it had been known.  

According to Aroke, the Institute was grounded for three years when it was engrossed in industrial crises until Dr. Tutuwa took over, restoring peace and putting the Agency on the path of progress again.

“HEDA, in a petition on the 15th March 2024 titled ‘Urgent Intervention to Resuscitate the Foremost Research Institute in Nigeria: Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO)’ to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had made disparaging remarks about the Institute”.

However, the union noted that the Chairman of HEDA, Mr Suraju Olanrewaju, who signed the petition, would have had a different opinion if had visited the Institute before writing the letter, adding that he only echoed the unpopular views of a few elements within FIIRO.

It be recalled that ASURI FIIRO Branch passed a vote of confidence in Dr. (Mrs.) Tutuwa in January this year. 

The Union said that by her background as a Research and Development-oriented person, massive funding of research projects had attracted the attention of the Chief Executive such that at FIIRO, it is a new lease of life for Research Fellows, adding that it promises to get better under her watch.

Therefore, the Workers called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ignore unpatriotic reports about FIIRO.