The workers of the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), Oyo State headquarters in Ibadan, on Monday, staged a peaceful protest against its management.
They decried what they called ‘the continue stay in office’ of the institute’s Director General (DG), Professor Olufemi Taiwo.
The DG is expected to have retired on the 16th of August.
While speaking on the occurrence, Professor Taiwo described the protest as politically motivated, saying the union leaders were pursuing a hidden political agenda.
Professor Taiwo held a meeting with members of the Management on Monday, an incident that irked workers, which workers described as null and void, saying he has ceased to be the DG.
The workers also accused the outgoing DG of traumatising workers during his regime, wondering why he was still staying put after the expiration of his tenure.
They however, called on the National Planning Commission, which is the supervising commission, to direct Taiwo to hand over to another person, preferably the institute’s Director of Administration in accordance with civil service rules.
In their three-paragraph letter to the Secretary of the NPC, a copy of which was made available to journalists, the JAC, comprising the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI), Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) were unanimous in their demand for Taiwo’s removal.
The three-paragraph letter by Comrade Ayo Egunjobi (SSAUTHRIAI), Wole Famoriyo, (NASU) and Muyiwa Babatimehin (ASURI) and addressed to the National Planning Commission reads in parts: “the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of in-house unions of the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER) use this medium to bring to the notice of the Secretary to the commission that the tenure of erstwhile DG, Professor Olufemi Taiwo, ended on August 16, 2015.
It reads: “Sir, in line with due process, Prof. Taiwo should have handed-over the administration of the institute in the last working day of his tenure to the most senior professor pending the process of appointing a substantive/acting director-general in accordance with the conditions of service of the federal research institutes, their colleges and allied institutions which can follow later.
“In view of this, the JAC would continue to appreciate the intervention of your good office in the promotion of industrial peace and harmony in the institute.
“Please accept the assurances of the union’s highest regards as we await your response. Thank you sir.”
According to Taiwo, the union leaders were being sponsored by some of their colleagues, who are interested in his position.
He added that he was not desperate to hold on to the position, but that he was yet to receive instruction from the NPC on the next step to take after the expiration of his tenure on Sunday.
“My letter of appointment in 2011 says I was appointed for four years, and that it was renewable for another term of four years. I completed the first term on Sunday. We were awaiting directive from the NPC on what to do.
“There are clearly three options: renewal of term, appointment of another DG or an instruction to hand over to somebody for temporary leadership pending the appointment of another DG.”
He said when he did not receive any instruction from the NPC, he contacted the Permanent Secretary of the commission on Sunday, but that the latter pledged to contact the Vice President for advice.
On the allegation of denying workers of welfare, Taiwo explained that his administration wanted to establish Staff Welfare Centre, but that the unions opposed it. He said they wanted a revolving loan scheme, which requires a government policy to operate.
