NASU seeks increased funding for research institutions

THE Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have lamented the inadequate funding of research and development institutions.

In a resolution adopted at the end of its 6th quadrennial delegates conference of the research and projects trade group council of NASU held in Abuja, the association called on government to devise a steady means of ensuring an increased flow of funds to the sector in order to achieve the objectives they were established for.

NASU posited that since research and development institutions play prominent role in the development of a nation, it therefore urged the Federal Government to implement the portion of the Agreement it had with the unions on the need to increase the annual budgetary allocations to the sector in line with the recommendation of UNESCO and approve a Special Intervention Fund for a period of three years on a 50:30:20 ratio annually like it did for the Universities and also create a special fund to be called National Research and Technology Development Fund (NRTDF).

The resolution, which was signed by Deputy President/Chairman of Research and Projects Trade Group Council of NASU, Wakili Tijani and Senior Deputy General Secretary, Emma Okonkwor, also demanded for the payment of 12 months arrears of Consolidated Research Institutes Salary Scale (CONRAISS) owed workers in research institutes.

The Conference-in-Session expressed dismay with the slow progress recorded in the implementation of the grey areas in the agreement between the Federal Government and the unions in the research and allied institutions in December 2010.

NASU submitted that the delay in fully implementing the agreement has made it practically impossible for the implementation of the 65 years retirement age for its members in the sector.

Conference noted with discomfort that while their counterparts in the universities, polytechnics, and Colleges of Education have had their retirement age reviewed from 60 years to 65 years by (Harmonization) Act 2012 promulgated by government, that of staff of research and allied institutions sector had remained 60 years.