Presidency Sacks NECO Registrar, 4 Others
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has approved the termination of the appointment of Prof Charles Uwakwe as registrar and chief executive officer of the National Examinations Council.
The President also dismissed four members of the council’s management for various offences bordering on financial impropriety.
Uwakwe had been suspended since May 2018 by the Federal Government over alleged financial mismanagement and abuse of office. Mr Abubakar Gana had been appointed as the acting registrar.
Uwakwe and some top officials were said to have allegedly awarded contracts in the council to the tune of N25bn without following due process.
NECO in a release on Wednesday confirmed that the suspended registrar had been relieved of his appointment by the President, while four members of the management had also been dismissed.
The President’s directive was conveyed in a letter, dated May 11, 2020 and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, on behalf of the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.
It 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.
Echono said, “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 the registrar and chief executive officer of National Examinations Council with effect from the date of your suspension from duty.”
The former registrar was also directed to hand over all the government property in his custody to the acting registrar.
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.
According to NECO, the affected officers are acting Director (Finance and Accounts), Mr Bamidele Olure; Head of Procurement Division, Dr Shina Adetona; Deputy Director, Mr Tayo Odukoya, and the Head of Legal/Board matters, Babatunde Aina.
The letter partly read, “After due consideration of the financial report of the Review Committee, Mr President has approved the recommendations as follows; Bamidele Olure, 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.
“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.”
The Nation
