Sixteen communities in Edo State have petitioned the federal government over the delay in disclosing the interview results, more than 14 months after the interviews were held to fill the job of Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research, NIFOR.
The oil palm institute is located in each of the communities in the Ovia North East Local Government Area. The petition was sent to Abubakar Kyari, Minister of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, under the auspices of the NIFOR Host Communities Elders Forums. The president of the Senate and the president’s chief of staff are also copied. The Head of Service of the Federation and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry.
Uwan, Ugbogiobo, Evboneka, Iyowa, Oluku, Okokhuo, Abumwere, Isikhukhu, Ekowe, Ekodobo, Azalama, Ozoguo, Obazuwa, Ekiadolor, Iguediaken, and Okunuvbe are the 16 host communities that are identified as being engaged. Newsmen in Benin City were given access to the petition, which was signed by Omobude Ali Joseph, Aighobahi Daniel, Omoruyi Jolly, Ahanor Ekhosuehi, and Ofamukoro Matthew.
The petitioners claimed that the competency test used to assess applicants for the institute’s CEO position had been suppressed. They insisted that the written and oral exams were held on October 10 and 12, 2023, respectively, and that an ad to fill the position had been placed in a national daily on August 19, 2023.
They, however, described the delay as a deliberate attempt to undermine transparency, which they alleged is now causing unrest among staff and other stakeholders in the institute.
The petition read, ”We the undersigned persons and indigenes of NIFOR host communities most passionately appeal to you sir, to probe into the deliberate and non-disclosure of the outcome of a competency test and interview conducted by NIFOR.
“The said exam/interview was a criteria set out for the selection and appointment of a suitable and substantive CEO for the institute.” “The non-release of the names of successful candidates who sat for the competency test months ago are potential factors fuelling the gathering storm that would soon implode if urgent actions are not taken,” they warned.
The petitioners, who spoke of an impending collapse within the school, pointed out that the development is already gaining traction in the wake of the claimed widespread administrative incompetence and victimization of those who were demanding an end to the Acting Director/CEO situation.
Additionally, they claimed that NIFOR had violated public service laws by failing to disclose the findings, which required employees who had served as directors for eight years to retire. They also called for an immediate investigation into the results concealment, claiming that once the exam results are made public and the top candidate is named, the practice of an acting CEO running the institute in violation of public service regulations will cease.
While noting that they are stakeholders in NIFOR affairs and want enduring peace in the Institute, the communities, however, called on the federal government to uphold the established guidelines for managing agricultural research institutes to restore order and public trust at the oil palm institute.
They warned that failure to act promptly on the matter could lead to a catastrophic breach of public peace at the Institute.
