The Federal Government has reinstated the 91 sacked workers of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, (CRIN), Idi-Ayunre, Ibadan.
The workers resumed work yesterday.
Addressing reporters on its premises in Oluyole Local Government in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, the Executive Director, Dr. Feyisara Okelana, said the institute received a letter, which vindicated the sacked staff.
She said: “My profound gratitude goes to President Muhammadu Buhari for ordering the reopening of the institute in December and the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh who, after investigation, vindicated the sacked staff.
“It is time for us to focus on our primary mandate, which is research so that we can assist our country at this moment agriculture is the focal point, and as you know cocoa used to be our primary foreign exchange earner in Nigeria.
“Therefore, we want to reform the cocoa sector and CRIN is to play the pivotal role. We appeal to the government to release fund though the economy is in a shambles …”
The Chairman, Academic Staff Union of CRIN, Comrade Semiu Olalekan said: “The staff followed the instructions of the national union, which did not go down well with the former director, Prof. Malachy Akoroda.
‘’This resulted into crisis, and the management ordered staff to go home. But later when we were called back, we refused to resume. But the Federal Ministry of Labour intervened and we resumed. The management sacked the 91 staff without following due process.”