The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), a leading civil society organization, has issued a challenge to the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) regarding its recent claims, demanding transparency and evidence to substantiate several assertions of the institute.
It is noteworthy that HEDA recently appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in revitalizing the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO). The organization advocated for the return of the Institute’s Director-General’s office back to Lagos from Abuja, emphasizing the imperative of maximizing productivity through effective leadership presence and focus.
In a letter addressed to President Tinubu, HEDA expressed grave concern over the apparent lack of funding, and attention to the management and operation of the institute, resulting in infrastructure decay and below-average outputs in recent years.
A statement signed by HEDA’s Communication Officer, Nurudeen Salako, emphasized, “The recent statement issued by the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), regarding the position of the Human and Environmental Development Agency (HEDA Resource Centre), has captured our attention. While FIIRO’s claims of iconic contributions to Nigeria’s economic development are bold, HEDA demands transparency and evidence to substantiate such assertions.”
The statement continued to highlight the concern over FIIRO’s dismissal of Mr. Suraju’s remarks without addressing their substance. HEDA challenged FIIRO’s management to provide concrete evidence of their claimed feats and contributions towards industrialization. Nigerians and other stakeholders are living witnesses and can judge between the concerns of HEDA and the claims of the Institute’s leadership.
Furthermore, HEDA emphasized the institute’s historical tendency to conceal the truth and mislead the public, citing the case of Dr. Chima Igwe, the former acting Director-General of the institute.
“FIIRO’s claims of numerous projects and multi-task training leading to awards and commendations must be supported with specific examples, outcomes, and verifiable data. Mere assertions of engagement in research activities and ongoing renovation works are insufficient without demonstrating tangible results and impacts on socio-economic development.”
The civil group urged FIIRO to desist from its deceit, concentrate on its core mandate, and allow the president to accord it deserved attention and funding. In case where the institute insist it is operating at optimum capacity, we challenge it to provide evidence of investor engagements and the outcomes in terms of actual investments and industrial developments. Additionally, transparency in the criteria and judging process for awards was stressed as crucial to lend credibility to FIIRO’s claims.
In conclusion, HEDA reiterated its commitment to advocating for accountability and transparency in all sectors of Nigerian society. The organization called upon FIIRO to embrace transparency, address past concerns, and provide itself with 21st-century global relevance to restore the confidence of stakeholders and the public.