The leadership of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly has frowned at the recent alleged purported employment of 366 Secondary School teachers by the office of the Accountant General of the state.
According to the house, the process that led to the recruitment exercise was not only faulty but a breach of official duty and 2021 fiscal appropriation, hence it should be reversed.
It would be recalled that the state Accountant-General, Yakubu Zaka has directed the recruitment of 366 secondary school teachers.
Nasarawa State House of Assembly alleged that this was done without the knowledge and approval of the Executive Governor of the state, Abdullahi Sule, the Teachers’ Service Commission and the Ministry of Education.
The lawmakers who had been on recess for about two months, resumed legislative duties Monday, 2 August, 2021, and one of the issues that took center stage during its plenary on resumption was the employment saga by the office of the Accountant-General.
The house queried that, should there be any employment of teachers in the state, the Teachers’ Service Commission, via the Ministry of Education is the appropriate government agency to carry out such exercise, and not the office of the Accountant General.
This came up toughly after Monday proceedings at the floor of the house, presided over by the Speaker, Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi in Lafia.
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Accordingly, the Speaker has directed its house committee on Education, Science and Technology to investigate the purported employment of 366 Secondary School Teachers by the office of the State Accountant-General.
Balarabe-Abdullahi tasked the committee to conduct a thorough investigation into the alleged employment in order to enable the house to know the true position of the matter.
This came up after Daniel Ogazi, the Chairman, House Committee on Education, Science and Technology raised the issue on the Matters of public interest during its plenary.
“I want to thank Hon. Daniel Ogazi for bringing this matter of public importance. This House will not fold its hands on matters of this magnitude.
“It is in view of this that I direct the House Committee on Education, Science and Technology to carry out a thorough investigation.
“You are to invite all those involved for questioning and report back to the House within three weeks,” the speaker said.
Contributing, Mohammed Omadefu, John Osewu, and Mohammed Muluku, all APC representing Keana, Doma- South and Nassarawa-Eggon East constituencies called for proper investigation into the matter.
Earlier, Daniel Ogazi, the House’s Committee chairman said, the purported employment emanated from the office of the state Accountant General.
“During our recess, we did not go to sleep. We have carried out our oversight functions and it is on this note that we discovered this purported employment of 366 secondary school teachers.
“Before there should be any employment of teachers, advertisement of vacancies are made, where applicants will apply and screening for the job needs to be done through the State Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
“Uptill this moment, there was no advertisement for vacancies but there was employment of 366 secondary school teachers in the state.
“We have some documents on the purported employment, which need further questioning,” Ogazi said.
The committee Chairman told the House that there was no provision in the 2021 budget for the employment of 366 secondary school teachers and wondered why there was such employment without due process.
Meanwhile, the House also deliberated on a report of the joint Committee on Housing and Environment/ Health, and on a bill for a law to establish the Nasarawa State Waste Management and Sanitation Authority and for Connected Matters.
Ogazi, who doubles as the Deputy Majority Leader of the House moved a motion for the adoption of the report which was seconded by Luka Iliya Zhekaba, the Deputy Minority Leader of the House.
The speaker however slated August 10 for the third reading of the bill.
The House also passed into second reading a Bill for a Law to Establish the Nasarawa State Urban and Regional Planning Board and for Other Purposes Connected Therewith after Hon Daniel Ogazi, moved a motion for the bill to scale second reading which was seconded by Hon Luka Iliya Zhekaba.
The speaker committed the bill to the House Committee on Urban Development to work on it and report back to the House on Wednesday, August 4.
