Executive Director the National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI) Umudike, Abia State, Dr Julius Okonkwo, has denied withholding allowances of workers of the institute, saying that allowances of staff are consolidated, added to the basic salary and paid as lump sum.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Umuahia yesterday, the Executive Director said leadership of the NRCRI NASU was misled “in demanding for payment of an allowance already built into their basic salary as if the payment is made from the institute”.
“Moreover, no money is sent to NRCRI for payment of salaries and allowances. Salary is paid by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (IPPIS Dept) directly to staff bank accounts. The Executive Director does not determine what federal government pays each staff,” he said.
Okonkwo described the strike as mischievous, saying that on August 24, 2015, the chairman of NASU, NRCRI Umudike branch, Mrs. Obi Nwakaego and members of NASU executive issued an ultimatum to the institute’s management, requesting it to address the issues before14 days from the date of issuance.
“The management of the institute responded to the issues raised one after the other and sent the reply to NASU on August 25, 2015,” he said.
According to him, the issue of allowances was not included in the ten-point ultimatum given to the management as part of reasons for the strike. He added that all the points raised by the Mrs Obi Nwakaego-led NASU “have been favourably treated, but she has refused to meet with the management to discuss her grievances on four different occasions when she was invited.”
The Executive Director alleged that the motive of the strike was to sabotage the federal government’s work at NRCRI. Staff of the NRCRI last week embarked on an indefinite strike to press home their demand for the restoration of their allowances, among other grievances.
