Rumble at Mass Literacy Commission over succession
Executive sec accused of refusing to quit after tenure expiration Union on witch-hunting mission – Acting ES We are surprised – Board
Over one month after his tenure expired, the immediate past executive secretary of the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education (NMEC) Prof Abba Haladu is being accused of refusing to properly hand over and quit the affairs of the agency to his acting successor.
Multiple sources, including union executives and top management staff of the agency have alleged that following the expiration of his tenure in August, the ex-executive secretary had relocated to the Kano office of the National Centre for Mass Literacy where he is still running the affairs of NMEC by proxy.
Daily Trust reports that Prof. Haladu was among the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of 14 education agencies and parastatals appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari on August 1, 2016.
Other chief executives whose tenure had expired are Afolabi Aderinto of the Computer Registration Council of Nigeria, Prof. Garba Azare of the National Teachers Institute, Prof. Michael Afolabi of the Library Registration Council of Nigeria and Prof. Steven Onah of the National Mathematical Centre, Shedda.
Others are Prof. Chinyere Ohiri-Aniche, of the National Institute of the Nigerian Languages, Prof. Lillian Salami of Nigerian Institute for Educational Planning and Administration, Prof. Lanre Aina of National Library of Nigeria, Prof. Abba Haladu of the National Commission for Mass Literacy Adult and NonFormal Education and Prof. Bashir Usman of the Nomadic Education Commission.
Following the end of their four-year tenure on August 1, 2021, they were directed to hand over the affairs of the agencies to respective most senior officers and bow out.
President Buhari later reappointed Prof. Ishaq Oloyede and Prof. Abubakar Rasheed as the Registrar/ Chief Executive of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission,
NUC, respectively.
Similarly, the president approved the re-appointment of Prof. Ifeoma Isiugo-Abanihe as Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) for a second term of four years and the appointment of Prof. Promise Mebine as the Director/Chief Executive of the National Mathematical Centre for the tenure of five years.
Buhari also reappointed Hamid Bobboyi as Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC.
But while eight of the education agencies, including NMEC, still await the appointment of new executive secretaries, the Unit Executive committee of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria in NMEC is accusing Prof. Haladu of refusing to quit.
Comrade Ismail T. Oniyangi, unit chairman of the association who spoke with Daily Trust on the development said: “Despite the expiration of his tenure on August 1, 2021, Prof. Abubakar Haladu has relocated to the National Centre for Mass Literacy in Kano where he has an office and is still presenting himself as executive secretary.”
According to him, the Acting Executive Secretary of