End Impunity in Agencies, FG Tells New Heads of Education Parastatals

Paul Obi in Abuja
The federal government on Tuesday charged the newly appointed 17 chief executive officers who are to oversee various parastatals and agencies under the Federal Ministry of Education to urgently put to an end to the high level of impunity and financial recklessness in their organisations.

The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, gave the directive while inaugurating the newly appointed chief executives in his office yesterday in Abuja, he charged them to work in line with the change mantra of President Muhhammadu Buhari.

The minister explained that there was an urgent need to nip in the bud the recklessness and increasing cases of impunity that have characterised the running of some of the agencies.
Adamu also tasked the chief executives to within one month, assess their various agencies in order for them to come up with an action plan.

Speaking to journalists at the inauguration, the Registrar, National Examinations Council (NECO), Prof. Charles Uwakwe, said the minister was explicit on what was expected from the new chief executive.
“The minister was very clear on what our task and mandates are. The President insisted that we must ensure that the change mantra is carried through in our various organisations.

“The president also talked about stopping impunity in our various organisations; that is a very important mandate that is chief executive have been mandated with and we have pledge to carry it through to the best of our abilities.

According to him: “We have been given about a month to acclimatize and do an assessment and then come up with an action plan for the next for years and we have pledged that we would do our best.

The Registrar, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, Prof. Sunday Ajiboye, said: “The council under his leadership would work assiduously to reposition the teaching profession in the country.
“I intend to go there and study the situation; we know that teachers are very key to the issue of education in Nigeria, we are coming in to reposition the profession

He said: “The minister was very clear about his charge to various CEOs, more specifically about the focus on the change mantra of the present government which the administration believes and promote, and also to go to our various parastatals and agencies and look at the issues and problems in those places and begin to set up agendas for moving the agencies forward.

Further, the Registrar, National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB), Prof. Ifeoma Isiugo-Abanihe, stated that “the new appointed heads of education parastatals were appointed based on merits.
“The inauguration this evening was a modest one, but very well organised. the duties and objectives expected from us were wll communicated and we are very grateful that each of us were appointed based on merits.
She commended President Buhari for finding them worthy to serve at this critical time, given the need to scale up Nigeria’s educational system.

The new appointees who were present at the innuaguration included: Prof. Abubakar Rasheed (National Universities Commission); Prof. Lilian Salami (Nigerian Institute for Educational Planning and Administration); Dr. Hameed Boboyi (Universal Basic Education Board); Prof. Lanre Aina (National Library of Nigeria); Prof. Charles Uwakwe (National Examinations Council); Prof. Abba Haladu (National Commission aor Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education); Prof. Bashir Usman (Nomadic Education Commission); and Prof. Ifeoma Isiugo-Abanihe (National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB).

Others are Prof. Sunday Ajiboye (Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria); Afolabi Aderinto (Computer Registration Council of Nigeria); Prof. Bappah Aliyu (National Commission for Colleges of Education); Dr. Abdullahi Bichi Baffa (Tertiary Education Tax Fund); Prof. Garba Dahuwa Azare (National Teachers Institute); and Prof. Michael Afolabi (Librarian Registration Council of Nigeria).

Also present are Prof. Steven Ejugwu Onah (National Mathematical Centre, Sheda); Prof. Ishaq Oloyede (Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board); and Prof. Chinyere Ohiri-Aniche (National Institute of Nigerian Languages among other dignitaries.