The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has suspended its Deputy Minority Leader, Luka Zhekaba for his alleged involvement in the fake employment of 38 secondary school teachers in the state.
The Speaker of the House, Balarabe Abdullahi announced this after the House deliberated on the report of the House Committee on Education on the recruitment of 366 teachers and 38 Fake teachers in the payroll of the State Civil Service during the House proceedings at the Assembly complex in Lafia, the state capital.
The speaker has set up a three-man Ad-hoc committee to investigate the suspended member and to report back to the House within two weeks.
“The committee recommended that the Deputy Minority Leader of the House, Luka Zhekaba, should be suspended and Ad-hoc committee be set up to investigate his alleged involvement in the fake employment of the teachers.
” I hereby set up a three-man Ad- hoc committee to investigate his alleged involvement and report back to the House within two weeks.
” Hon Suleiman Yakubu Azara, member representing Awe South constituency is the Chairman of the committee, Hon Usman Labaran Shafa, member representing Toto/ Gadabuke constituency and Hon Samuel Tsebe, member representing Akwanga South as members of the committee.
” While Mr. Ibrahim Musa, the Deputy Clerk of the House is the Secretary of the committee,” he said.
“I can’t question his activities or involvement for now until the committee concludes its findings, as you commence your investigation, I wish you success”, the Speaker added.
Speaker Balarabe Abdullahi further said that the House was not against the employment of the teachers but due process must be followed for equity and fairness and recruitment of teachers should be a periodic exercise.
” Mr. Anthony Ladan, a Senior Accountant, Bureau for Salaries who admitted of including the names of 38 teacheof the Housers into the payroll of the state government without the directive from the Commissioner of Finance and Mr. Michael Adonye Johnny, a staff of the Ministry of Education, who is a syndicate is to proceed on compulsory retirements.
” Mr. John Nuhu, a former staff of the Teachers Service Commission ( TSC) and Ministry of Information, a syndicate of the fake employment is to be handed over to the appropriate authority for prosecution,” he noted.
The House agreed that the Director of the Bureau for salaries, Mr. Sulley Daheer, and other staff of the Bureau be redeployed to other departments of the state Ministry of Finance.
” A person with ICT knowledge with proven integrity to be deployed to the Bureau for Salaries to take over the salaries of civil servants in the state,” he added.
The speaker urged the management of the state Teachers Service Commission ( TSC) to sit up to its statutory responsibilities in the interest of the education sector.
He also called on the state government to conduct an independent investigation into the activities of MDAs to sanitize the system.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Committee, Daniel Ogazi, while presenting the report of the committee said that the committee found out that the syndicates collected between N50,000 and N100,000 to issue fake appointment letters to the applicants.
He told the House that the committee has invited the management of the Ministry of Education, Finance, Accountant General, the syndicates, one of the victims, Caroline Barde among others before the committee.
Hon Tanko Tunga, the Majority Leader of the House moved a motion for the adoption of the report which was seconded by the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon Luka Iliya Zhekaba.
The House unanimously adopted the report.
It would be reported that on Aug.16, 2021, that John Nuhu and Michael Adonye Johnny, the syndicates when they appeared before the committee have admitted to forging the documents of the state Ministry of Education.
It would also be reported that on Aug. 16, 2021, Mr. Anthony Ladan, a Senior Accountant in the Salaries Bureau, admitted including the names of 38 teachers into the payroll of the state government without the directive from the Commissioner of Finance and Director, Salaries.
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