• As Lalemi emerges ASURI Caretaker Chairman, NBS Branch.
The National Secretary General of the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI), Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku has faulted the government for running the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) under the Public Service rules.
Prof Ndubuaku, who is a renowned researcher and unionist, made the remark on Tuesday at the NBS headquarters Abuja while inaugurating the interim executives of ASURI, NBS Branch.
According to him, the laws that established NBS clearly provided that NBS should be run under similar condition of service as a University. He noted that the government has a duty to work within relevant laws and improve the standard of service of the Bureau and its employees.
“NBS needs to be given her pride of place in nation building. This Research Institution is the most important in terms of gathering reliable and relevant data for national development. Nigeria needs to focus on data collection and NBS should be the resource centre,” he said.
While inaugurating the ASURI interim executives of the NBS Branch, Prof Ndubuaku charged the new excos to work fervently and cooperatively with the national executives of the Union to provide better working condition and welfare for the staff of NBS.
Those inaugurated as the new interim executives of the NBS branch include Comr Femi David Lalemi, Chairman; Comr Success Okere, Secretary; Comr Caroline Faturoti, Treasurer; Comr Damdam Mohammed Shuaibu, Financial Secretary and Comr Opeyemi Ogidan, Public Relations Officer.
Meanwhile, the caretaker chairman, Comr Lalemi while delivering his acceptance speech, stated that the inauguration is about NBS taking its rightful place as the Nation’s foremost Research and Development agency.
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He assured members of the Union and Staff of NBS of the readiness of the new executives to serve faithfully by liaising with the National leadership of ASURI to work for the improvement of the welfare and condition of service of NBS staff.
“This inauguration is really about NBS taking its rightful place in the scheme of things as it concerns our great country. It’s about the elevation of the Establishment to its glorified place as the fulcrum on which every crucial decision is made in the interest of our Nation.
“We commit to contribute our quota by making sure, with the veritable tool of advocacy, that NBS gets its due recognition as the Nations foremost Research and Development agency.
“The welfare of staff and condition of service is also vital to the fulfilment of The mandate as given by the dictate of The Statistics Act, 2007. We promise to make this our main focus. We will offer robust engagements at all levels of government, with the help of the doggedness of the National Executives of ASURI and the support of my colleagues.
“We share the opinion that the only true path to greatness and accomplishment lies in service. I wish to make it abundantly clear that we are here to serve and faithfully we shall,” Comr Lalemi said.
He appreciated the Statistician-General of the Federation, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran and commended the national body of ASURI for their steadfastness and unflinching support towards the birth of the Union in NBS.
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