Rumble at Mass Literacy Commission over succession

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 […]

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.

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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 Non-Formal 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.

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 the Commission (NIMEC), Hajiya Mariam Khalid still takes instructions from her predecessor from Kano, while also accusing the board of the agency for being passive on the matter.

The unit chairman said the former executive secretary was refusing to quit in anticipation of his reappointment by the president, adding that the union had earlier petitioned the minister of education calling on the president not to extend the tenure of Abubakar Haladu but rather “Appoint a more competent and responsive chief executive officer to salvage the situation and improve mass literacy programme in Nigeria.”

While calling for the timely appointment of “new seasoned executive secretary,” comrade Oniyangi appealed to President Buhari and the minister of education to “Please come to the aid of the commission (NMEC) in order for it to effectively carry out the president’s mandate.”

We are surprised– NMEC Board

When contacted, Dr. Gidado Bello Akko, Chairman of the board of NMEC said to the knowledge of the board, the ex-executive secretary had handed over to an acting executive secretary and was, therefore, expected to vacate office.

“I don’t understand why he would continue after handing over; I don’t know-how. Nobody has told us that he is operating from Kano centre,” Akko said.

A member of the board, Professor Fatima Umar expressed surprise at the claim that the immediate past executive secretary had relocated to the Kano centre adding that to the knowledge of the board, he had completed his tenure and gone.

“I don’t know about relocation to Kano; to the knowledge of the board, he has handed over and he should go,” Prof. Fatima said.

Union on witch-hunting mission – Acting executive secretary

The Acting Executive Secretary of NMEC, Mariam Khalid, denied taking instructions from her former boss while accusing the Unit Executive committee of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria in NMEC of fomenting trouble.

She accused the unit executives of embarking on a witch-hunting mission.

She, however, said the former executive secretary could not properly handover to her because of threats from the union members adding, however, that he had to send his handover notes through the admin department.

“I just spoke with the coordinator of the Kano centre who denied the presence of the former executive secretary there. Even if he were there, I would talk to him and he will leave.

“The only time he came to the centre was to make clarifications when somebody supplied some substandard items and I spoke to him about it. Besides, there is no way I cannot communicate with him by asking questions when the need arises. So, I was only calling him to clarify some issues; not taking directives from him,” she said.

Also, the coordinator of the Kano office of the National Centre for Mass Literacy, Hassana Isa, said it is not true that the former executive secretary had relocated to the Kano centre office.

She however admitted that he had attended a programme there, saying: “I don’t know about his relocation to the Kano office but there is nothing wrong if he breezes in and goes.”

Ex-Executive secretary, Education ministry mum 

Attempts to speak with the immediate past executive secretary of the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education (NMEC), Prof. Abba Haladu on the matter yielded no fruitful results.

Several calls put across to him for two days, including text messages, were unanswered.

Similarly, the Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Ben Bem Goong, did not pick calls put across to him as well as a text message seeking to get the reaction of the ministry on the matter.