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HEDA Hails FIIRO For Suspending Igwe, Appointing New Acting DG

February 12, 2020

SaharaReporters had first reported on Tuesday that the FIIRO board suspended Igwe over his certificate scandal and appointed Dr Agnes Yemisi Asagbra as its new Acting DG.

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The Human and Environmental Development Agenda has commended the management of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, Lagos, for removing Chima Igwe as the Acting Director-General of the organisation.

SaharaReporters had first reported on Tuesday that the FIIRO board suspended Igwe over his certificate scandal and appointed Dr Agnes Yemisi Asagbra as its new Acting DG.

Igwe claimed to have completed his doctorate programme from the Universite d’Abomey-Calavi, but the school denied that the claim.

In a statement on Wednesday, Mr Olanrewaju Suraju, Chairman of HEDA, said that FIIRO had met the expectation of the public by appointing a new Acting DG in the face of raging controversy over the reputation of the institution's former boss. [story_link align="left"]78124[/story_link]

Suraju said, “We commend the action of FIIRO Board of Directors and the staff for saving the institute from international embarrassment.

“The appointing of a new Acting DG was long overdue but never too late. We commend FIIRO for responding to HEDA's demand and the staff for standing up to justice and the rule of all.”

The anti-corruption group had led series of campaigns for sanity in FIIRO after its former DG was found to have acquired a questionable Ph.D.

HEDA had also raised eyebrows over corrupt malpractices linked to the former DG.

HEDA stated that while it commended FIIRO for the appointment of the Acting DG, the corruption cases levelled against Igwe must not be swept under the carpet.

He added, “We are glad that the first bridge has been crossed. What remains now is the prosecution of Igwe to ascertain the veracity of the cases of gross abuse of office and corruption levelled against him.

“His removal is a good development but the issues of fraudulent claims and corruption has to be pursued to its logical conclusion for the sake of posterity.”