President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the sack of Prof. Charles Uwakwe as Registrar/Chief Executive officer of the National Examinations Council(NECO), alongside, four other management staff for various offences bordering on financial impropriety.
Uwakwe, was alleged to have awarded a N25 billion contract without the knowledge of either the Federal Ministry of Education or the governing board of the council and recruiting some staff without the knowledge of the appropriate authority.
The erstwhile NECO registrar has been on suspension since May, 10, 2018, while an investigative panel was constituted to probe allegations of financial misconduct.
A sack notice, conveyed in a letter written by Sunny Echono, the permanent secretary of the federal ministry of education accused Uwakwe of violating Public Procurement Act of 2007, the letter read in parts;
“After due consideration of the investigative panel on allegation of unsatisfactory conduct level against you and some management staff of the council, Mr President in exercise of his powers, has approved your removal as the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the National Examinations Council with effect from the date of your suspension from duty.”
Affected also, were other senior management officials of the exam body- Bamidele Olure, director of finance and accounts; Shina Adetona, head of procurement division; Tayo Odukoya, deputy director; and Babatunde Aina, head of legal and board matters.
Olure got the sack after being “found guilty of financial impropriety and not qualified to Head the Financial and Accounts Department.” Adetona was dismissed from office and will face prosecution “for acts tantamount to fraudulent practices sabotage and suppression of official records.”
Uwakwe was ordered to hand over all government property in his possession to Abubakar Gana, who had been appointed acting registrar since 2018.
