Tobias Sylvester
President Muhammadu Buhari has sacked Prof Charles Uwakwe as the Registrar and Chief Executive of the National Examinations Council (NECO).
Similarly, the president also dismissed four other Management Staff of the Council for various offences bordering on financial impropriety.
Buhari’s directive was conveyed in a letter, dated May 11 and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, on behalf of the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.
In the letter, Uwakwe was accused of violating the Public Procurement Act (2007) and pursuant to PSR 030402 and Part 1 schedule 4 (i) of NECO Establishment Act.
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It was alleged that Uwakwe and the four top officials of the council allegedly awarded contracts in the council to the tune of N25billion without following due process.
NECO, in a release on Wednesday by its Head of Information and Public Relations Division, Mr. Azeez Sani, confirmed that the suspended registrar had been relieved of his appointment by the President, while four members of the management had also been dismissed.
“After due consideration of the investigative panel on the allegation of unsatisfactory conduct levelled against you and some management staff of the council, Mr President in the exercise of his powers, has approved your removal as the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of National Examinations Council with effect from the date of your suspension from duty,” the letter reads.
The former Registrar was also directed to hand over all the government property in his custody to the acting Registrar, Mr Abubakar Gana.
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In another letter, FME/S/1419/C.3/T/98, on May 11, by the Permanent Secretary, the President approved the dismissal from service of four Management workers.
The affected officers are Mr. Bamidele Olure, Acting Director (Finance and Accounts), Dr. Shina Adetona, Head of Procurement Division, Mr. Tayo Odukoya, Deputy Director and Barr. Babatunde Aina, Head of Legal/Board matters.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Mr Abubakar Gana was appointed as the acting NECO Registrar following Uwakwe’s suspension in May 2018 by the Federal Government over alleged financial mismanagement and abuse of office.
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