Moses Ofodeme
President Muhammadu Buhari has terminated the appointment of Prof. Charles Uwakwe as the Registrar/Chief Executive of the National Examinations Council, NECO.
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, May 20.
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, 2020; and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Sonny Echono on behalf of the Education Minister.
Sani 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 May 11, 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; President Buhari 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.”
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 would 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.