NITR staff embark on three-day warning strike in Kaduna

Hundreds of staff of the National Institute for Trypanosomiasis Research (NITR) with headquarters in Kaduna have embarked on a three-day warning strike in order to press home their demands which were not forthcoming.

As early as 7.30 am on Monday aggrieved staff of the institute blocked all entry points to the institute preventing staff access to their offices.

The aggrieved workers were seen holding placards with different inscriptions some of which read, ‘Follow the due process in recalling staff on Training Dr (Mrs) FNC Enwezo,’ Stop misinterpreting the Public service rules and offices documents, ‘No staff sponsorship for more than 15 years in NITR among others.

Pressing home their demands on behalf of the three unions of the institute (ASURI , SSAUTHRAI and NASU), Moyijo Hussaini noted that’ it is disheartening when the Minister of Science and Innovation, Dr Ogbonna Onu is putting his best to reshape the Ministry at the direction so as to achieve the desire goal of Mr President, Muhammad Buhari, the overseeing DG, Dr FNC Enwezo is creating industrial disharmony since her assumption in office in September 2021.

According to him, the greatest undoing of the Overseer DG was her non recognition of reverse condition of service of 2019 which was adopted and recognised by all the research institutions in the country except NITR.

‘Today we are the only institute, that does not recognize the reverse condition of service and book of service, a document that is approved by the Head of Service of the Federation to all federal establishments.

Hussaini noted further that implementation of the above has been put into use by all research institutions in the country.

Apart from that the union also accused the overseer for recalling over 100 staff who are currently on training in various universities and organizations in the country without due process.

He said these affected staff have gone on training with the approval of the Institute, saying some of them are even about to round off their study but they were asked to return to the office.

Moreso according to him, this institute cannot boast of 10 PhD holders, saying, we wrote to her in order to sit down and iron some of these things. But she has been avoiding us, he claimed.

When confronted to comment on these allegations the overseeing DG, Dr FNC Enwezo remarked that she can’t talk now but she will address the press on a later date.