Re – PPSMB: The appointment of acting Executive Secretary was in line with laws of civil service

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Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba State

The management of NewDay Newspapers has been made aware of a press release issued by one Abel Bako Joachim, on behalf of the Taraba state ministry of education on the above subject matter over a story in the current edition of our newspaper titled “ Elsie Obadiah Forcefully Takes Over Post Primary Board, Flouts Gov’s Directive.”

Our intention was to overlook that release and concentrate on our daily routine of serving our readers with…..News, more News as our mantra connotes. But, on a second thought, we found that doing so will amount to dereliction of our responsibility of presenting all the sides of a story.

The bone of contention was the news item we carried in respect of the appointment and resumption of duties of Mrs Elsie Obadiah as Acting Executive Secretary to the Post Primary Schools Management Board. This is beside the fact that questions arose as to why her appointment was made even when the tenure of the holder of the office had not expired.

After our reportage on the suspicious manner the appointment was made, vis-a-vis the sacking the of the substantive holder of the office without recourse to due process, the commissioner went ahead to give authorisation to break into the office of the Executive Secretary to allow access to Mrs Obadiah. Reports have it that Mr Dan’Azumi Navokhi Hassan at the time of our report then was contesting his removal.

Our reporter went to the board and confirmed that the door to the office was actually broken into, even without official handing over.

But Joachim, in his release which smacks of desperation, woefully failed to address the content of the report, but choose to cast aspersions on our integrity. He accused us of lacking “professionalism of balanced reportage as the ministry was not contacted during the filling of the said report.”

In the first instance, in the story, Mrs Elsie Obadiah was copiously quoted as our reporter asked her on why the door to the Executive Secretary’s office had to be forced open in the absence of the occupier. Her response was aptly captured in our report.

Secondly, several telephone calls were made to Dr Augustina Godwin, the education commissioner, but she declined to pick up.

So,in what sense does Joachim interpret “balance.”

In paragraph 1 of the statement, Joachim said the former Executive Secretary, Dan’Azumi Navokhi Hassan, was transferred back to the ministry, again in paragraph 3 he described him as “suspended” due to sabotage, abuse of office and dereliction of duties. What a gail of confusion? Something is indeed, wrong somewhere. Any discerning mind can see through the dubious claim of the ministry in this regard.

While we do not hold brief for Hassan, because we are not in a position to do so, it will be of public interest that we delve into the background of the issues that led to the ministry’s empty press statement. It all started on the 17th July, 2024, when Dr Augustina Godwin, via a letter addressed to the then ES, informed him of the appointment of Mrs Obadiah as his successor and directed him to report to the department of Quality Assurance in the ministry.

While the news broke, our Editor-in-chief personally drove to the ministry to find out what was the true position of the matter as information had it that the tenure of Mr Hassan had not expired and there was also rumour that the case involved embezzlement of public funds, therefore, his removal became a subject of interest. This is even more so as there was no official reason for his removal.

On getting to the office of the commissioner, he met her Confidential Secretary to whom he declared his mission. Her aide politely told the Editor-in-chief that his principal was not on seat, but directed him to Abel Bako Joachim, who introduced himself as Bako Lau, Secretary to the ministry. After explaining our mission to him, he congratulated NewsDay for taking the initiative and pain to come for clarification. He told the Editor-in-chief that Mr Dan’Azumi Hassan was removed because he was frustrating the realisation of the free education policy of the Kefas Agbu administration and other sundry accusations that are unprintable.

He then called the commissioner, who enthusiastically asked him to meet her at home with the guest. We drove in Joachim’s vehicle, a Toyota Hilux to meet Dr Augustina, who was already seated in her corridor to receive us. Joachim, again repeated what he earlier said in the ministry before the commissioner and she concurred to every word he mentioned. Infact, the commissioner mentioned names of people who she claimed were pressuring her over the matter and that Gov Kefas had asked her to stay further actions until their next meeting when he will take a decision.

During our discussion, I asked if it was true that Mr Hassan’s tenure was still subsisting, they answered in the affirmative, but argued that he was not the first person to be so removed. I equally asked if any query was issued to him or if he was charged before any administrative panel in respect of the weighty allegations they made against him, again they said no. All they were interested in was for me to slant the story in their favour. So, what due process are they talking about here?

Infact, when we returned to the secretariat, Joachim made me an offer if I agreed to play ball, but I just smiled and dropped from his vehicle and left. This is a matter for another day.

We thereafter, published the report in a detailed and balanced format, reflecting the positions of all parties. The next thing was for the ministry to commission one of the many online news letters in Jalingo to try to rubbish our report, but were unsuccessful. That was the beginning of the ministry’s animosity towards NewDay.

It is indeed laughable and trite for the ministry to lay claim that the appointment of Mrs Obadiah was “in accordance to laid down laws and civil service rules, due process and in the overall interest of the state.”

For the records, appointment into the office of the Executive Secretary is the exclusive preserve of the state Governor. Section 13(1) and (2) of the Taraba State Post Primary Schools Management Board Law 2013 is very explicit and unambiguous.

Secondly, when has the ministry assumed the roles of the civil service commission that it will now appoint high ranking civil servants into positions? What law gave the commissioner the powers to make appointment or posting of high calibre civil servants?

What is happening at the ministry is nothing but high wire politics being orchestrated by Joachim. He is reported to wield a lot of influence on the commissioner and other top ministry officials. He decides who is loyal to the powers that be or not. Whenever they want to push anyone out of their way, they will tag such a a “saboteur in the execution of the free education policy of His Excellency.”

One funny thing about some of these senior civil servants in Taraba state is that whenever they are caught pants down in the course of their duties, they easily find escape in scapegoating. Who does Joachim think will sponsor me to smear officials of the ministry? What are they doing special in that ministry that will attract envy or any attention that will require them to be blackmailed? That’s too cheap, to say the least.

In the face of the foregoing, we want to state with all emphasis at our disposal that no amount of threat, blackmail, intimidation and arm twisting by any individual, groups, ministries, departments and agencies of government will deter us from performing our constitutional responsibilities as members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm.

For those who may wish to know; NewDay has a cumulative 37 years of robust and progressive journalism experience in its kitty, spanning from local government, state and the national levels. We were part of the pioneers of rural journalism in the defunct Gongola state.

Therefore, we do not need any inconsequential civil servant, who is searching for relevance to lecture us on the ethics of our profession. He will do well by upholding civil service rules and regulations which requires fairness, justice and equity in personal management and not primitive show of power and premodial grand standing.

We survived the Abacha dictatorship in the course practicing this trade when it dangerous doing so during its hay days in Abuja. This too, we shall survive. Our roles in the struggle for democracy during those dark days are well recorded in the national press.

We shall continue to execute our mandate as watchdog of society as long as we live and no matter whose ox is gored.

A.S. Osborne Adi Jnr.

Editor-in-chief/ CEO
NewDay Newspapers
16th October, 2024