President Buhari sacks Uwakwe as NECO Registrar, dismisses four other top staff

By RUTH OKETUNDE

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the termination of the appointment of Prof. Charles Uwakwe as the Registrar/Chief Executive of the National Examinations Council.

Also, Four Management Staff of the Council were dismissed from Service for various offences.

Mr Azeez Sani, Head, Information and Public Relations Division of the Council made this known in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said 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 in a Letter dated May 11 May, 2020 and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Sonny Echono on behalf of the Education Minister.

He said, “Part of the letter reads: “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 exercise of his powers, has approved your removal as Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of National Examinations Council with effect from the date of your suspension from duty”.

He added that the former registrar was directed to hand over all government property in his custody to the Acting Registrar of the Council.

He also said another letter with reference NO: FME/S/1419/C.3/T/98, dated May11, 2020, and signed by Echono, disclosed that Buhari has approved the dismissal from service of four Management Staff for various offences.

He listed the affected officers to include: Mr Bamidele Olure, Acting Director (Finance and Accounts), Dr. Shina Adetona, Head of Procurement Division, Mr. Tayo Odukoya, Deputy Director and Mr Babatunde Aina, Head of Legal/Board matters.

According to him, the letter stated that “after due consideration of the Financial report of the Review Committee, Mr President has approved the recommendations as follows”.

“Mr. Bamidele Amos Olure, Acting Director (Finance and Accounts), dismissal from the service with effect from the date of his suspension from office having been found guilty of financial impropriety and not qualified to Head the Finance and Accounts Department”.

“The letter also stated that Dr. Shina Adetona was dismissed from service with effect from the date he was suspended from office for acts tantamount to fraudulent practices, sabotage and suppression of official records pursuant to PSR 030402 (b & t).

“He is also to be prosecuted in line with Section 58 (5) (a & b) of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) (2007) for flagrant violation of PPA 2007 as Head of Procurement and misleading Management on Procurement.

“Also, Mr. Tayo Odukoya was dismissed from service for acts of serious misconduct which violates PSR 030301 and PSR 030402 (q) (t) (w). He is to be prosecuted in line with Section 58 (5) (a) and (b) of the Public Procurement Act (2007) for flagrant violation of the Act.

He added that the letter directed the Management of NECO to commence the process of recovering ill-gotten benefits/gains from Odukoya who acted as Director of a company (M/S I-web Solutions) while in service of government.

“Barrister Babatunde Aina was dismissed from service for falsification of records and dishonesty in the sale of NECO Guest House, which violates Section 2609 (a) of the Financial Regulations (FR) and PPA (2007) part X section 55 (2) – (4) and Section 56 which tantamount to serious misconduct pursuant to PSR 030301 (g), PSR 030402 (a) and PSR 030402 (m).

He said that the letter indicated that the dismissal of Aina from service was without prejudice to the investigation being carried out by EFCC on the sale of the NECO Guest House.

It could be recalled that Uwakwe and two of the dismissed Management Staff were on May 10, 2018 placed on suspension while an investigative panel was constituted to probe the allegations of unsatisfactory conduct levelled against them. (NAN)