By Amos Aar
THE BENUE State House of Assembly has ordered the immediate suspension of the ongoing primary school teachers’ recruitment exercise being conducted by the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
The House has equally summoned the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Dr Grace Adagba, to appear before the leadership of the House Tuesday next week to explain the circumstances surrounding the sudden inclusion of those with non-professional degrees in education with a cut-off mark of 25% in the aptitude test.
SUBEB is also to furnish the House with the needs assessment of teachers’ requirements on a school-by-school basis from each local government and provide results of all candidates who participated in the recruitment exercise as well as the law enabling it to conduct recruitment.
This followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by a member representing Makurdi South constituency, Mr. Douglas Akya, during Wednesday’s plenary expressing concern that the Board has shortlisted graduates without qualification in education contrary to the requirements specified in the advertisement.
Akya stated that this manipulation of the exercise was against the governor’s good intention to revamp public primary schools.
Seconding the motion, Deputy Whip, Mr. Alfred Emberga, who said he received several complaints from his constituents, noted that it was not the responsibility of the Board to recruit teachers.
Commenting, a member representing Mata constituency, Mr. Simon Gbabo, called for the suspension of the recruitment exercise, while Majority Whip, Mr. Peter Ipusu, suggested for an ad-hoc committee to investigate the recruitment exercise.
Relatedly, member representing Kwande West constituency, Mr. Thomas Dugeri, also presented to the House a petition by Roselyn Ganki over underpayment of her salary by SUBEB. The Speaker referred the petition to House Standing Committee on Rules and Business to be slated for debate on a later date.
During Wednesday’s plenary, the assembly also withdrew the confirmation of three deputy clerks of the Assembly, pending amendments of the Benue State Assembly Service Commission law and further gazetting.
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This followed the motion of urgent public importance moved by the Majority Leader, Mr. Saater Tiseer, drawing the attention of the House that the amended Service Commission Law 2024 signed into law by Governor Hyacinth Alia on 11th June, 2024 was not gazetted by the State Attorney General.
Mr. Tiseer explained that for any law to be implemented, it has to be gazetted and copies circulated for reference purposes and expressed concern that the House, as a law-making body, could not afford to set a bad precedence.
Also, three bills sponsored by a member representing Buruku State constituency, Dr. Abraham Jabi, and other members, enjoyed first reading on the floor of the Assembly.
The bills include a bill to repeal the law establishing Agricultural Training Centre, Mbatie, to provide for re-enactment of a law to establish the College of Agriculture, Mbatie; a bill for a law for the reintroduction and domestication of Tiv, Idoma and Igede languages in primary, secondary and higher institutions of learning, and a bill for a law for the introduction of dress code in primary, secondary and higher institutions of learning in the state.
Clerk of the House, Mr. Bernard Nule, read the three bills for the first time.
Speaker of the House, Mr. Aõndona Dajoh, refered the three bills to the House Standing Committee on Rules and Business to be slated for a second reading on a later date.
