A Non-government organization (NGO), Equity
and Social Justice Initiative (ESJI) has condemned the rushed suspension of the
Registrar of National Examination Council (NECO), Professor Charles Uwakwe and
two other directors over unfounded allegations.
The three were suspended over
purported irregular recruitment in 2015/2017, faulty procurement processes for
2016/2017 and financial mismanagement amounting to a sum of N25b (twenty five
billion naira).
However, in a statement titled
"Re: hasty suspension of NECO Registrar and 2 other directors" made
available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday which was signed by Comrade Shuaib
Umar, Executive Director and Hon. Carl Umegboro, Director (Strategy & Publicity),
the group stated that the allegations relied upon for the hasty suspension of
the three officials were completely unfounded and inconsistent with shocking
facts obtained from anonymous resourceful members of staff of the agency during
its concerted independent investigations in Minna over the matter.
The statement reads in part, “the
2015 recruitment exercise accused the NECO boss of was carried out by the
immediate past Registrar/Chief Executive, and there is no record of any form of
neither approvals nor waivers or certificate of compliance for the 2015
exercise where about 72 members of staff were recruited”.
It further says, “the investigation
also showed that unlike the 2015 exercise, the 2017 exercise he carried out had
waivers from Head of Service and Federal Character Commission, Budget provision
by Budget Office of the Federation and a Certificate of Compliance duly issued
by the Federal Character Commission".
“Again, it was shown that the alleged
faulty procurement processes for 2017 was a template used in awarding contracts
in 2016 by the previous Registrar who already signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with all the eight security printers for a 3-year contract
effective from 2016. Hence, on assumption of office, the new Registrar maintained
the status quo albeit with plans for reviews at the expiration of the three
years if necessary”.
“On the alleged financial
mismanagement, our investigation also revealed that the suspended registrar
since he assumed office has been prudent and compliant to due process in all
financial transactions with incomes and expenditures always made available to
the relevant authorities for inspection and auditing”, the group said.
The group in its deductions suspects
foul play; that the persecution was likely another case of corruption fighting
back and therefore demands for thorough and transparent investigation by the
Federal Government. It added that it was sad that a professional institution
that since its establishment has maintained high standard and complemented the
West African Examination Council (WAEC) credibly was subjected to such
trivialities for mere selfish interests of few people.
"ESJI condemns in totality the
disgraceful developments and suspicious political conspiracies at NECO which is
capable of ridiculing the institution if unchecked, and consequently calls on
President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and ensure that justice prevails. Of
course, we have unalloyed confidence in the Hon Minister of Education, Malam
Adamu Adamu who has commendably remained highly focused, principled and ethical
on issues affecting the education sector", the group added.
Umegboro, who had in the past also
independently investigated the purported tampering of secondary school
curriculum expressed confidence that Malam Adamu pursuant to his antecedents
will not allow matters affecting education to be trivialized which is also the
group’s driving force and synchronizes the present administration’s policy of
redressing the monumental rots in the system.
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