Raw Materials, others on strike

Raw Materials Research Development Council (RMRDC)

Some senior staffs of Raw Materials Research Development Council (RMRDC) an agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria vested with the mandate to promote the development and utilization of Nigeria’s industrial raw materials, has since last week been on strike to press home their demands for fulfillment of government agreement with Non Academic Staff Union in over 15 science and agric related research institutes.

Food Farm News correspondent was at the Raw Material Research Development Council (RMRDC), yesterday where he confirmed that the institute was on strike as many people were denied entry into the premises of the institute. 

Efforts made to gain entry into the premises were abortive, before he was informed by security at the organization that the senior members of the staff of the agency were on strike adding he did not know the detail of the strike that had started since last week Monday.

A source in the agency, however informed our correspondent that the organization was not on strike, but rather the members of Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) and Association of Senior Staffs of Universities and Research Institutes (ASURI) that were on sympathy strike to drive home their demands against government’s default of earlier agreement on emoluments payment.

During a value chain event at Abuja, an agricultural consultant, Professor Babagana Abba Gambo had called upon government about the recent strike by the research institutes saying that “for the past two weeks, over 15 agric research institutes in Nigeria have been on strike and nothing has been said or done about it. How do we expect farmers to fare?”

He added that the current strike by NASU and ASURI if not quickly resolved will make farmers to suffer more, and this will threaten the food security in the country. He noted that the research institutes are the livewires of the farmers who depends on latest innovations and information’s to boost productivity.