SSAUTHRIAI decries proscription of unions by cocoa institute

THE Senior Staff Association of University Teaching Hospitals Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI) have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) to reinstate the industrial unions proscribed by the institute.

Speaking on the crisis in Abuja, the General Secretary of SSAUTHRIAI, Moshood Akinade, alleged that intimidation, harassment and denial of rights of the union’s members have continued unabated.
The unions proscribed by the Institute are SSAUTHRIAI, Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU).

Akinade appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to pay special attention and act accordingly in addressing the issue.

“We strongly plead to Mr. President, if indeed he is the President of all Nigerians, whether big or small to act decisively on the crisis ravaging Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) Ibadan, for the sake of industrial peace in the institute,” he stated.

While stating some of the events that led to the crisis, Akinade explained that the Board Chairman, the Executive Director and the then Minister of Agriculture and rural development allegedly played a vital role in instigating the crisis.

He said: “The events that led to the crisis were the sack of daily paid workers who were from communities around CRIN, the Executive Director’s alleged administrative incompetence, use of state security service agents against union leaders, denial of rights and privileges of the workers, forceful ejection of the 91 terminated staff from their quarters with the assistance of armed policemen without allowing them to remove their properties. Purported suspension of some existing CRIN directors and proscription of all unions in CRIN”

He also request the removal of the Executive Director of CRIN, Ibadan, Prof. Malachy Akoroda and the dissolution of the Governing Board of Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria for acts detrimental to the smooth running of the institute.