By Austin Ogwuda
When Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, Nigeria was inaugurating his cabinet in August this year he said, “This council is an inspiring blend of youths and experienced hands; the youth represents a breath of fresh air, while the old hands represent experience and mentorship.
“To the commissioners that have been sworn in today, I charge you to be humble, shun pride and arrogance”, while urging them to justify the confidence reposed in them.
But despite the admonition, one of the vital ministries is riddled with scandal just in the early months of take off by the new Commissioner.
It (scandal) first of all, hit the media waves like a joke and unfortunately it is still lingering with the parties involved hiring mercenaries to defend each other with Government watching the drama.
It is Ministry of Secondary Education, with Mrs Rose Ezewu as the Commissioner.
The information available to The Town Hall Media was that the Commissioner Ezewu purportedly issued a circular directing that both the portrait of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and her own as the Education Commissioner be procured from no other sources but her very office.
As usual to be placed at strategic positions in the various School Principal offices and Chief Inspectors of Education CIEs at a cost of N20, 000 per portrait.
The most worrisome aspect of the story was the angle that this female Commissioner allegedly went the extra mile by setting up a task force recruiting a non staff of the ministry to enforce compliance.
When the news broke the embattled Commissioner told newsmen in Asaba that she was devastated by what she described as orchestrated blackmail against her.
According to her, “I didn’t produce portrait for anybody to sell. I remember querying a Principal at Ughelli for using a very shabby picture of the Commissioner in his office. And I said it is not good enough that they should try and change it and I told him I will send my original portrait to him to enable them print and replace the one they had.
“I did not produce any official portrait to be sold to schools across the State. As Commissioner for Secondary Education I don’t accept money from anybody for any matter. I am doing my job as prescribed to me and we setup an education taskforce to ensure proper monitoring of our schools.
“We have over 490 secondary schools across Delta State. So effective monitoring and supervision, I put a taskforce in place to assist. They have a mandate to checkmate teachers to ensure that they are doing their work. There is a standing directive that there should be morning and afternoon assembly in schools”.
Also to her defence was the President, Association of All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools, ANCOPSS, Delta State Chapter, Sir Christian Ahweyevu, who said: “It is quite disheartening to read that ANCOPSS wants to shut down Schools in Delta State because of baseless accusations against the Hon. Commissioner for Education, Mrs Rose Ezewu.
“As the new President of ANCOPSS Delta State, I Christian Orakpo Ahweyevu make bold to write on behalf of all members that there was never a time that ANCOPSS Delta State took such a decision because we have never experienced extortion of any kind from the Hon. Commissioner. We are in good working relationship with her. Those invisible people should kindly desist from peddling such fake and baseless stories. We will not fold our hands to allow some self-centered people to drag the good image of ANCOPSS Delta State and cordial relationship with the Hon. Commissioner to the mud.
“We will continue to stand by our Commissioner and work in harmony to better the standard of education in Delta State”, said the ANCOPSS boss.
Despite the denial, speculation is rife pointing accusing fingers at her over the alleged deal of merchandising with the portraits.
Strangely enough while her defenders are attributing it to mere blackmail, the accusers are asking troubling questions. *Can she deny not forcing secondary school Principals in the State to purchase the portrait of the State governor, Rt. Hon. Oborevwori and her’s for the sum of N20, 000 payable into an undisclosed bank account?
*Why were the Principals and CIEs barred from obtaining the said portraits from any other sales outlets except at the Ministry of Education?
*Is it true that she shut out the Permanent Secretary (PS) while on familialization tours and was parading one Israel (surname withheld) as a bona fide Director from the Ministry to facilitate the portrait deal ?
While The Town Hall Media is not supporting any side these allegations are weighty enough to attract government’s attention by now.
It is not just enough to dismiss them with a wave of hands, anchoring it on blackmail, witch-hunt and so forth, Government can’t just keep quiet.
Institution of high level investigation is needed and if she is found guilty, then show her the way out.
Again if the allegations are found to be untrue let all those accusers be fished out, arrested and prosecuted to act as deterrent to others in the future.
Without prejudice, it is clear from inside sources that the Commissioner who is merely the political head is not working in tandem with the Permanent Secretary PS and Directors who are the administrative backbones driving the process, so in this case that ministry needs a surgical operation inorder to get the best out from there.
Secretary to the State Government SSG, the time to act is NOW Advise your principal appropriately.