Benue State House of Assembly has ordered for the immediate suspension of the ongoing primary School teachers recruitment by Benue state Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB.
The House has equally summoned the Executive chairman of SUBEB to appear before it Tuesday next week at 10: Am to explain the circumstances surrounding the sudden introduction of those with non professional degrees in education with cut off mark of twenty five percent in the aptitude test.
SUBEB is also to furnish the house with the need assessment of teachers requirement on school by school basis from each local government and provide results of all candidates who participated in the recruitment exercise as well as law enabling it to conduct recruitment.
The House took the decision during a plenary presided over by the speaker Chief Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh.
This followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by member representing makurdi South constituency Mr Douglas Akya expressing concerned that the board shortlisted graduates without qualification in education contrary to the requirements specified in the advertisement saying the manipulation of the exercise was against the Governor’s good intention to revamp public primary school.
Seconding the motion, Deputy whip Hon Alfred Emberga said he received several complaints from his constituents, noting that it was not the responsibility of the Board to recruit teachers.
Commenting, member representing Mata constituency Hon Simon Gabo, that of Okpokwu constituency Hon Anthony Agom sued for the suspension of the recruitment exercise.
The House also directed the Executive Secretary Benue State Science and Technical Education Board to convert Government Day secondary school Aliade to Government secience and technical college.
The House gave the directive after member representing Gwer East constituency Mr Elias Audu moved a motion of urgent public importance in that regard.
The house also asked the Executive secretary to identify a secondary school in each of the local government lacking a science and technical college for similar conversion and urged the Governor to reinstate the appointments of all staff terminated at Mbatiav science and technical college and Government science and technical college Aondona.
The house called on the state and local governments to immediately commence remittance of statutory fund to the science and technical education board for the development and expansion of science and technical education across the state.
Earlier in the motion, Mr Audu expressed worry that Gwer East local government area and other local governments remains without a science and technical college thereby depriving these areas of critical access to technical education and its associated benefits and appealed to the house to support the motion.
Seconding the motion, Chip Whip of the Assembly Mr Peter Ipusu sued for the conversion of Government comprehensive secondary school Amafu to Government Science and technical college because equipment were already on ground.
Commenting, Deputy minority whip pastor Blessed Onah called for conversion of Government secondary school Oju to Government Science and Technical College while member representing Ukum constituency Mr Ezra Nyiyongo emphasized the need for all local governments of the state to have Government Science and Technical College in order to reduce youth unemployment, skill gaps and social vices.
The house screened and confirmed Governor Hyacinth Alia nominees for appointment as chairman and members Benue State state House of Assembly Service Commission.
Those screened and confirmed were Rt. Hon. Mrs Ngohemba Agaigbe as chairman, Otumala Ogbu, Dorcas Mbatiav, Isaac Aondo and Dennis Umbur as members.
The House also confirmed the appointment of Mr. John Hwande as clerk of the Benue State House of Assembly.
