President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the prosecution of the former acting Director-General of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO), Lagos, Chima Igwe, for working with a fake doctorate certificate.
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He directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offenses Commission (ICPC) to start the process of his prosecution for receiving salaries with a fake doctorate for 18 years.
Buhari also asked the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, to allow the institute’s governing board to operate freely.
The president gave this directive in a letter dated September 7, 2021, addressed to Onu, and signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President (Administration and Operations), Ibrahim Adamu, The PUNCH reported.
Buhari declined the “prayers of the Honourable Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation on the appointment of Chima Cartney Igwe as the substantive Director-General of FIIRO, Oshodi, Lagos State.”
“Directed the governing board of FIIRO to commence the process of the appointment of a substantive Director-General in accordance with Section 2.1.3.3 (a) and (d) of the Conditions of Service for Federal Research and Development Agencies, Institutes and Colleges (Revised 2019).
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“Directed the Honourable Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation to allow the Governing Board of FIIRO to operate freely within the ambit of the provisions of extant regulations guiding the relationship between the ministry and parastatals.
“Directed the ICPC to commence prosecution of Mr Chima Cartney Igwe for giving false information to his employer,” the document added.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Universities’ Teaching Hospitals Research Institutes and Associated Institutions, FIIRO branch, Togunde Oyekola, commended the board chairman and his team for their commitment to justice and integrity.
Oyekola urged the board to do more on productivity enhancement and staff welfare.
He also called for transparency in the appointment of a substantive DG within the confines of the law, public service rules, conditions of service of research institutions and other extant rules.
