NGO Charges FIIRO On Food Security

The Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) has been charged to uphold its constitutional responsibility to register Nigeria among industrialised nations.

This is even as the FIIRO, in response said, the Research Institution has never for once slacked in performance of its roles as was claimed by Non-governmental Organisation, Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA).

The chairman of the non-governmental organisation(NGO), Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), HEDA Resource Centre,Olanrewaju Suraju, in a chat with LEADERSHIP said, he wondered what role FIIRO has been playing as part of its contributions toward addressing food insecurity in the land, especially, in the midst of high cost of food.

According to Suraju, “I think FIIRO has missed and its still missing on its strategic mandate and role in setting the agenda and putting the country on the part of contemporary research for industrial revolution and development.

“The failure of successive governments to invest in or realise the need for such investment is due to the inability of responsible institutions to convince politicians and bureaucrats on the necessity of it.”

Suraju also blamed FIIRO over inefficiency, urging FIIRO to work optimally to deepen economic development.

However, in his reaction during a chat with LEADERSHIP, the head of Information and Public Relations Unit of FIIRO, Chris Olumuyiwa, noted that FIIRO has not slacked in performing its role as was said by HEDA.

According to  Olumuyiwa, “Recent comments by HEDA over the state of affairs in FIIRO was made from a point of ignorance and deliberate attempt to mislead the Nigeria populace.

“Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju of HEDA did not make any move to see things for himself in the institute nor did he exercise due diligence to follow the trend of positive comments and commendations from stakeholders in research and development.”

Moreover, the FIIRO man reiterated that “presently, all the Technical Departments of the institute are engaged in at least four research activities per department to meet with the socioeconomic yearnings of Nigerians.”