President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the termination of the appointment of Prof Charles Uwakwe as the registrar and chief executive officer of the National Examinations Council (NECO).
A letter which was signed on May 11, by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, stated that Uwakwe was accused of violating the Public Procurement Act (2007) and pursuant to PSR 030402 and Part 1 schedule 4 (i) of NECO Establishment Act. Uwakwe and four other NECO officials were reported to have awarded contracts to the tune of N25 billion without following the due process.
“After due consideration of the investigative panel on the allegation of unsatisfactory conduct levelled 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 National Examinations Council with effect from the date of your suspension from duty,” Permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono said in the letter on behalf of the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.
According to The Punch, the president also sacked four officials of the exam body for various offences bordering on financial impropriety. The former registrar was also asked to hand over all the government property in his custody to Mr Abubakar Gana, the acting Registrar.