Protest Rocks National Metallurgical Development Centre as Workers Demand Director-General’s Removal
A mass protest was staged by workers at the National Metallurgical Development Centre (NMDC) in Jos, calling for the removal of the embattled Director-General, Professor Linus Asuquo. The protest, which took place on Thursday, saw staff members carrying placards with slogans such as “Asuquo Must Go” and “No to Nepotism.” The workers are demanding urgent government intervention to rescue the research centre from total collapse.
The protest comes two weeks after a damning exposé by DAILY NIGERIAN revealed corruption and mismanagement at the NMDC. The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development has dispatched a high-powered delegation to assess the situation. Led by Permanent Secretary Chris Osokpunwu, the delegation assured workers that their concerns would be heard and that no staff member would be queried or victimized for participating in the peaceful protest.
The workers, represented by their unions, are calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to revitalize the NMDC, which they describe as a strategically positioned research centre in Africa. However, due to failed leadership and corruption, the centre has become a shadow of its former self. The workers accuse Professor Asuquo of failing to pilot the affairs of the NMDC and demand his removal.
The Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI) and the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes, and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRAI) have decried the harassment of union members and the poor working conditions at the centre. The workers claim that they have not received their entitlements in seven years and are exposed to hazardous conditions without safety provisions.
The NMDC was established in 1973 as the first metallurgical testing laboratory in West Africa, with the goal of pioneering research and analysis for Nigeria’s steel industry. However, despite decades of funding, the centre has failed to reach its potential. Recent revelations have shown that billions of naira were misappropriated under Professor Asuquo’s watch, and key research activities have been grounded due to the procurement of non-functional equipment and diversion of intervention funds.
The workers are calling on the federal government to bring in experts to assess the hazards they are exposed to and to take action to revitalize the NMDC. The protest and the Ministry’s intervention are significant steps towards addressing the crisis at the research centre and ensuring that it fulfils its potential as a leading research institution in Africa.