Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja
The Technical Staff Association of NASENI (TSAN) and the Non Academic Staff Union of Educational and Allied Institutions (NASU) have called on the federal government and its relevant agencies to fully release all funds allocated to the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI)
The joint unions made the demand yesterday, during a press conference in Abuja.
They argued that with what the agency had been able to achieve with only eight per cent released so far; if it gets the full allocation approved by both the National Assembly and President Muhammadu Buhari, it would manufacture weapons, electric transformers, aircraft and other things.
TSAN President, Dr. Oluwaseyi Ogungbenro, who read the unions’ joint position said: “We therefore graciously and firmly appeal to relevant authorities: The Minister of Finance Budget and National Planning, Federal Inland Revenue (FIRS), Nigerian Governors Forum and National Economic Council to ensure the release of the remaining funding without further delay because NASENI remains the economic and technological solution for myriad of problems confronting this great nation.
“The advanced nations of the world are where they are today in their military might and competitive economy mainly because of the robust spending on science and technology. This we cannot shy away from if we must surmount our problems and grow our economy.”
Speaking further, he said: “It may interest you to note that till now, NASENI has only been able to access eight per cent of the funds approved by National Assembly and signed by the President. If NASENI has been able to do so much in one year with eight per cent, one can only imagine what NASENI will achieve if granted access to 100 per cent of its approved funding.”
The unions called on relevant government institutions responsible for the implementation of their new salary structure to implement it.
“We also wish to use this medium to call on all responsible for ensuring new salary structure for NASENI to expedite action to further motivate NASENI workforce who now works round the clock to reposition the agency.
“Working under Prof. M.S Haruna has made the staffers of the agency work 24 hours a day so as to ensure the country is technologically turned around to meeting its various challenges and solve its economic problems. There is no better motivation to workers than effective and adequate wages,” they added.
Both TSAN President, Ogungbenro and NASU Coordinator, Tijani Wakili were full of praises for the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NASENI, Prof. Mohammed Haruna, saying he has improved the working conditions and management/staff relationship.
The unions said they were happy with the decision of the federal government to extend by two years, the tenure of Haruna.
This move, they noted, would no doubt help to consolidate on various ongoing federal government interventions through NASENI in the different sectors of the economy such as agriculture, power, youth empowerment, aviation, security and transportation among others.
According to them, Haruna, had demonstrated uncommon capacity in utilising science and technology to turn around the fortunes of the nation through its various programmes, interventions, research output, technology transfer, collaborations, reverse engineering and much more.
