The Academic Academic Staff Union of Research Institute, ASURI, has demanded for a deductable 5% tax collected by the Ministry of Communications and 13 other ministries and agencies to fund National Research Council as part of their contributions to enable research institution to function optimally.
Speaking at a meeting between ASURI/Coalition of Civil Society Organisations on Wednesday in Abuja, Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku said research must be sufficiently funded for the nation to develop.
Professor Theophilus who is the Secretary of Academic Staff Union of Research Institute emphasize on the needs for federal government to pay attention to research institute as the only way for development.
Ndubuaku explained that all products being consumed in Nigeria are produced by other countries, a development he posited was not good enough.
He lamented that, “when you go through budget in the procurement act, there is no provision for researchers to fund their activities which is not good enough”
“Recalled that Research Council we are pursuing now was instituted in 60s not only Nigeria, it was UNESCO for the whole world haven known that, that is the only way for development, but Nigeria did not give attention to it.
“As we are talking now Nigeria government did not pay their own counterpart fund as a member country, so their activities are frustrated in Nigeria.”
Speaking on the bill currently at the National Assembly, Prof. Theophilus said, “National Research Council bill that is at the National Assembly if pass and Mr. President assent to, it will solve many problems in research institutions”.
The bill is designed in such that federal government will not put any penny to the council, where council will be funded is from the 5% of 14 ministry and agencies that are benefitting directly from research institute.
The National Research Council bill is the bill that has gone through National Assembly three times during 8th Assembly, but for one reason or the other, Mr President ask for correction and re-introduction.
“These happened till the expiration of 8th Assembly. And the same bill is currently with National Assembly for passage in the 9th assembly.”
Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku mentained that if this bill is passed and accent to, it is capable of solving many problems of Nigeria, be it security, economy otherwise, through research one can bring out the courses and find lasting solution to it.
According to him, the research work that supposed to be primary work of the researchers will be contracted to contractors and later bring the results for publication, all these are not necessary,.instead we empower our institute and conduct our research to avoid third party”
“Looking at the researchers they are the poorest in our civil service job, because the process of getting to the top is very difficult, it required money to conduct a research and published it before promotion which is millions of naira”.
“Mind you the funds requested is not going to be domicililed with the council, it will be kept with the ministry of finance, the function of the council is to coordinate the activities of the researchers and be a gate way to access the funds by the researchers.”
While trying to proffer solution to the speady passage of the bill at National Assembly, Lrince Danesi Momoh was of the opinion that the group should stage a thank you protests and also place our demand for them to meet the life span of this 9th assembly.
Accordingly, Marry Okpe the member of Civil Society Coalition charge all the members to work in unity to make their dreams a reality, stating that posterity will remember them.
