By GRACE BAKO
The National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) has denied a report in the media that its Registrar/Chief Executive, Professor Ifeoma Mercy Isiugo-Abanihe, had been suspended as was facing investigation by Nigeria’s ant-corruption agencies.
“It is not true that the Registrar/Chief Executive of NABTEB has been suspended by the Governing Board, neither is she or any Management staff of the agency being investigated by either the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or the ICPC over contract awards, recruitment of financial impropriety,” the agency’s Media & Publicity Consultant, Mr. Tom Chiahemen said in a statement on Thursday.
According to Chiahemen, “the true position is that the Governing Board of NABTEB has constituted a five-man special committee to investigate charges in the Report of the Chairman in respect of the documents submitted by the Registrar/Chief Executive of the examination body.
“This was the outcome of an Emergency meeting of the Governing Board held at the Abuja Liaison Office of NABTEB on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 with the Registrar/CE, Professor Ifeoma Mercy Isiugo-Abanihe in attendance.
He quoted the Secretary to the Board, Malam Adamu Bello, as saying that the terms of reference of the special committee were: “To process all documents submitted by the Registrar/Chief Executive of NABTEB to the Chairman of the Board” and “to write a summary report viz aviz matters contained in the letter reference NABTEB/GB/EBM/002.”
“The special committee, which has Dr. Charles I. Osahon (a Presidential Appointee) as Chairman, is expected to submit its Report to the Chairman of the Board on or before 6th June, 2018,” he added.
Other members of the committee are Dr (Mrs) Rachel Bassey Akpabio (Presidential Appointee), Mr. J. O. Oke (Representative of the West African Examinations Council, WAEC), Mrs. Tina E. Eyaru (Representative of the Federal Ministry of Education) and, Dr. Titus Umaru (Representative of Professional and Business Teachers’ Association) who will serve as Secretary.