The Governing Council of the National Institute of Trypanosomiasis and Onchocerciasis Research (NITR) has called on President Muhammad Buhari to wade into the leadership crisis rocking the institute.
The Chairman of the governing council, Shehu Lambu, also called on the president and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to caution the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Adeleke Mamora.
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“The relationship between the governing council, the ministry and the minister is not a master/servant relationship.”
Recall that in September, aggrieved union members of the institute held a peaceful protest against the reinstatement of the suspended Overseeing Director General of the institute, Dr Felicia Chizoba Enwezor.
But, addressing some select journalists Tuesday in Kaduna, Lambu said Enwezor had been suspended with effect from July 22 and Dr J. J. Ajakaiye appointed as acting DG.
The two-time member of the House of Representatives wondered why the minister had refused to respect the judgement of the National Industrial Court, Abuja, which indicated that the tenure of the governing board would only expire on March 31.
He stated that the governing council was the body vested with powers to oversee the administration of the institute while the role of the Ministry of Science and Technology was to supervise all the parastatals under it.
Lambu said the council had received 24 applications in a bid to appoint a substantive DG and would send the names of the three top candidates to the minister for onward transmission to the president after the examination is conducted.
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