By PRECIOUS OLUWOLE

The Federal Institute for Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) branch of the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI) has passed a vote of confidence in the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Dr. (Mrs.) Jummai Adamu Tutuwa, for what it described as her transformation agenda which has changed the narrative at FIIRO and engendered industrial harmony.
The union gave the nod of approval at the Oshodi operational headquarters of the research institute on Monday when a Visitation Committee of ASURI met with the Congress of FIIRO Branch.
The committee, led by the Chairman of Nigerian Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) branch of ASURI, Comrade (Dr.) Sam Olufemi Amao, consisted of the Chairman of Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Badagry Branch, Comrade (Dr.) Abiola Aiyeola, the Secretary of Technology Incubation Centre (TIC) Chapter of National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) Branch, Abeokuta, Comrade Abiodun Soyoye, all representing the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union, as well as ASURI Consultant (Media and Corporate Intelligence), Comrade Toye Fawole, and Head of Protocol, Comrade Nosa Ogbomo, both form the National Secretariat of the union.
Moving the motion for the vote of confidence, Comrade Charles Ekpenyong, recalled that until 2022 when the Chief Executive came into office, FIIRO was in the media space attracting undue publicity for negative reasons, which he described as “an ill wind that blew no one any good.”
He said: “In spite of its larger-than-life stature within the Research and Development Institutes (RDIs) sector, FIIRO was actually degenerating in terms of infrastructural facilities which was beginning to affect delivery on its mandate, and this was becoming worrisome to the Federal Government and indeed most stakeholders.
“Agreeing that in an atmosphere of war, no meaningful development ever takes place, stability came the way of the prime Agency within the Science, Technology and Innovation family with the appointment of a new substantive Director General/Chief Executive Officer in the person of Dr. (Mrs.) Jummai Adamu Tutuwa in 2022.”
He noted that within one year, the Establishment Act of FIIRO, which had been unattainable over the decades, was achieved which, according to him, was to the envy of many other Research Institutes in the country which are yet to have their Bills passed and they have been seeking counsel from our Agency on how this was achieved.
Comrade Ekpenyong emphasized the repositioning and restoration of FIIRO as the leading Research Institute in Nigeria which, he noted, had been established as the agency was awarded the first position during the 2023 Science, Technology and Innovations Expo in Abuja.
He said FIIRO now wears a new look, “thanks to the spirited renovation and rehabilitation of existing infrastructural facilities, as well as providing additional ones, even as he recalled that the payment of outstanding promotion arrears, which had piled up from the 2018, 2019 and 2020 promotion years, had been cleared under the watch of Dr. (Mrs.) Tutuwa, as promised during her maiden meeting with staff.
“Using her administrative acumen, she resolved all the controversies surrounding the 2021 promotion exercise and its implementation was released by the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (FMSTI), as it was then called. In the same vein, the 2022 and 2023 promotion exercises were dusted while only the results of the 2023 exercise are being awaited and we have no reason to doubt that it will be positive without issues,” he said.
The member 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.
Calling for a vote of confidence in the DG, therefore, he said her achievements within so short a time have engendered industrial harmony at FIIRO and have changed the narrative for the better.
The motion was seconded by Comrade Pauline Nwandala and, with no counter motion, it was passed through a non-dissenting voice vote.
The branch therefore enjoined its National Headquarters to endorse, support the activities of its Chief Executive and orchestrate her achievements.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of ASURI FIIRO Branch, Comrade (Dr.) Ahmed Aroke Shahid, commended the efforts and roles played by the Secretary General of the union, Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku, in stabilizing the Institute after three years in turmoil.
He noted: “The appointment of Dr. (Mrs.) Jummai Adamu Tutuwa as Director General/Chief Executive Officer of Federal Institute for Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) in May 2022 by the Governing Board, of which our distinguished Secretary General was a member, is a watershed in the history of the Institute. The transparency and due process in the appointment was as a result of ASURI National Headquarters’ insistence on the Conditions of Service (COS 2019).
“There was no complaint or protest from any quarters after the appointment. We are glad to inform you that so far it is so good as there is no cause for regret of that appointment. She is making giant strides in moving FIIRO back to its enviable position among the research institutes in Nigeria.”
The achievements of the CEO were reeled out by the Vice Chairman of the branch, Comrade (Dr.) Chiemezie Okorie, with loud applause from the Congress.
The leader of the Visitation Committee, Dr. Amao, had earlier told the Congress that the essence of the visit, which was delegated by the Central Working Committee (CWC) of ASURI, was to assess the achievements of the various Chief Executives by getting feelers directly from members of the union at the branch through an open forum at the Congress.
He added that the reports from the interactive session would be collated and forwarded to CWC.
On arrival at the Institute, the team paid a courtesy visit to the Chief Executive, who was represented jointly by the Director of Food Technology, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluwatoyin Oluwole, and the Director of Biotechnology, Dr. Adekunle Lawal.