The Chairman of Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) for National Center for Generic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Comrade Sunday Abiodun has called on the Federal Government to pay their salary of 53.37 percent being owned them.
He made the call during a peaceful rally at the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Ibadan.
According to him, “we are law abiding citizens. There’s nothing that we do that is not under the law. We have appealed to the Federal Government for so many months for so many agitations.
“For so many years, since 2009, you can imagine Federal Government owing us salary arrears of 53.37% for 18months out of which they paid six months. It is remaining twelve months and we have begging the government to pay us and they have failed us despite several letters that we have written to them and that is why we are doing this peaceful rally to appeal to them so as to look into our plights.
Comrade Abiodun who also doubles as the Chairman of all Research Institutes in Oyo State posited that “research is nothing to the Federal Government. We have appealed to them that they should form a national body called NARICOM where in they can now fund research. It is well known all over the world that research is the main pivot wherein developed nation use to push their economy but opposite is the case in Nigeria.
“We are very much ready to work but unfortunately, research has been poorly funded.
While speaking on the 65 years age retirement, he said, “the 65 years retirement age in research institutes is not being enjoyed like our counterparts in the university. They want us to retire at age of 60 years. Why can’t they allow us to also enjoy such benefits?
“We want the Federal Government to implement the new condition of service as quickly as possible. They have gone through it and they have seen it all and of course, why can’t they allow it to be operational,” he queried.
