Unions back tenure extension for NASENI EVC by Buhari

By Stanley Onyekwere

The staff unions in National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), have hailed the decision of the federal government of Nigeria to extend by two years the tenure of the Agency’s Executive Vice Chairman, Prof Mohammed S. Haruna.
This move, they say will in no doubt help to consolidate on various ongoing federal government interventions through NASENI in the various sectors of economy such as agriculture, power, youth empowerment, aviation, security and transportation, to mention a few.
They made this assertion yesterday while briefing the media, after the day one of the joint action congress of the staff unions in NASENI, namely, Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Allied Institutions (NASU), and Technical Staff Association of NASENI (TSAN).
TSAN President, Com. Oluwaseyi Ogungbenro, who spoke for: NASENI Joint Union, said NASENI under the watch of Prof Mohammed.S Haruna has demonstrated uncommon capacity in utilising Science and technology to turn around the fortunes of this nation through its various programs, interventions, research output, technology transfer, collaborations, reverse engineering and much more.
Ogungbenro added that the further years granted Prof M.S Haruna will help to ensure Nigeria is self sufficient in food security, stand out in home grown technology in weapon production, develop first ever aircraft in West Africa, develop capacity for solar cell production, finish the production line for home grown transformer production and ensure agricultural and industrial tools manufacturing for food safety and industrial revolution etc.
He said: “All these and other ongoing programs of the agency birthed by this great technocrat will definitely turn around the economy of this great country in the nearest months.
“It is therefore the smartest move by his Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari to grant Prof Haruna tenure extension to help the incoming government and Nigerian economy.
“We wish to state unequivocally that the entire workforce in NASENI stands with NASENI management under the leadership of Prof M.S.
Haruna and accept the tenure extension of our dear Executive Vice Chairman Prof Mohammed S. Haruna in good faith and with great joy and gladness.
“The Unions therefore profoundly thank Mr. President for the political will to reposition NASENI under the presidency and implement NASENI act as regards its funding”.
He continued: “However, it may interest you to note that till now NASENI has only
been able to access 8% 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 8%, one can only imagine what NASENI will achieve if granted access to 100% of its approved funding.
“We therefore graciously and firmly appeal to relevant authorities: The Honorable 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 economical 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.
“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 25hours 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”.