- Pleads With Gov. Alia To Unlock SUBEB’s Frozen Bank Accounts
By Amos Aar
THE OUTGONE Acting Executive Chairman, Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mr Mzaga Iorhemba, has called on Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State to unlock SUBEB’s bank accounts frozen since May 29, 2023 to enable the agency to pay salaries and carry out its other activities without hitches.
Mr Iorhemba made the request when he handed over to the newly appointed Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Dr Grace Adagba, as the substantive Executive Chairman, last Friday in Makurdi, the state capital.
He stated that, “most of the accounts operated by SUBEB are financed by development partners such as UBEC, UNICEF and the likes and the activities carried out using funds in such accounts are time-bound and delay or postponement are unpleasant as the funds are in most cases retrieved by donors,” if not used.
Highlighting the outstanding issues and challenges confronting the board, Iorhemba said there has been inadequate monthly overhead for SUBEB as money that was given to the board when it has less than one hundred staff is the same amount still being allocated to it even as the number of staff has risen to over two hundred.
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Giving details of the salary arrears owed, the outgone chairman said: “We have salary arrears owed primary school teachers and administrative staff in the 2023 LGEAs and zonal offices from 2017 to date.
“The public school teachers and administrative staff in the 23 Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs), six zonal offices are being owed ten months salary arrears from March 2017 to December, 2017 amounting to seven hundred million, eight hundred and seventy-two thousand, two hundred and thirteen naira, ten kobo.
“In December of 2021, staff salaries of the 23 LGEAS and six zonal offices amounting to seven hundred and seventy-two million, six hundred and seventy-five thousand, nine hundred and eighty-seven-naira, thirty-six kobo was owed the teaching staff and the non-teaching staff.
“Administrative staff of the 23 LGEAs and six zonal offices are being owed salary arrears for the month of February, 2022 and March, 2022 amounting to two hundred and eighty million, thirty-one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight-naira, ten Kobo.
“There are some teaching staff across the 23 local government areas that were not paid salaries for the month of March, 2022 amounting to two hundred and ninety-one million, two hundred and forty-four thousand, seven hundred and twelve-naira, one kobo.
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“Staff of thirteen LGEAs were not paid for the month of January, amounting to eight hundred and eighty-one million, ninety-four thousand, four hundred and thirty-five-naira, fifty kobo.
“Three months’ salary from February, 2023 to April, 2023 amounting to four billion, nine hundred and sixteen million, six hundred and seventy-six thousand, one hundred and eighty-one-naira, sixty-two Kobo only is yet to be paid.
“SUBEB headquarters staff salary arrears; that was from September 2017 to December, 2017. In September, it was 24 million, four thousand, three hundred and sixty-six naira and six Kobo just as in other months. The amounts remain the same and the total comes to ninety-six billion, two hundred and fifty-seven thousand, four hundred and sixty-four-naira, forty-four kobo.”
Other challenges facing the board, according him, include shortage of manpower, lack of office accommodation, non confirmation of Acting Directors and non-promotion of teachers since 2020 among others.
Iorhemba, who congratulated Dr Grace Adagba on her appointment, intimated her on the state of affairs at the board and urged staff and management to accord her the same cooperation and support they gave to him.
The outgone chairman conducted his successor round the board headquarters to see facilities after she okayed what she saw on ground and counter signed the handover notes.
Speaking shortly after she received handover notes from Mr Iorhemba, the new chairman expressed gratitude to God and Governor Hyacinth Alia for finding her worthy of the appointment. She promised not to be biased in awarding contracts and giving employment to people but to ensure a result-oriented administration.
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Adagba accompanied by the newly sworn-in board members; Paul Ebe, Prince Andy Uwouku, Okpeh Mathias Ugwoke and Dr. Joseph Jande, solicited cooperation of staff and management to enable her to pilot the affairs of SUBEB successfully, stressing that she was poised for service to the Board to improve basic education in the state in line with the 7-point development agenda of Governor Alia’s administration to ensure that her principal succeeds.
The new Executive Chairman tasked staff of the board on sincerity, transparency, hard work and accountability in discharging their duties to achieve maximum productivity.
