Benue: Probe Committee indicts former TSB boss of embezzlement, tells him to refund N195.8 million

A committee set up to investigate the state of affairs at the Benue State Teaching Service Board (TSB), has recommended that the immediate past Executive Secretary of the Board, Dr. Wilfred Uji be asked to refund N195.8 million being funds mismanaged under his leadership.

Chairman of the committee, Dr. Saawuan Tarnongu while presenting the report to Governor Samuel Ortom on Tuesday at the Benue Peoples House, Makurdi, said the committee discovered that the funds were mismanaged through loans from cooperatives and unnecessary levies.

Dr. Tarnongu who is also the Special Adviser to the Governor on Basic Education said the Committee has also proposed that the Edict 25 establishing TSB as amended be reviewed and that the Board’s accounts be streamlined in accordance with the Treasury Single Account policy of government.

It was also a recommendation of the committee that the six Directorates at TSB be reduced to three among which are those overseeing Administration and Finance, Planning Research and Statistics with that on ICT standing on its own as a unit.

According to him, the committee which findings bordered mainly on misappropriation, disregard for due process and staff benefits, proposed the redeployment of the Directors in the Board so as to replace them with new people who possess the requisite qualification and experience to offer services.

The committee equally recommended a ban on the production of the official portrait of any Executive Secretary of the Board to compel school principals to buy. It also called for for strengthening of the Audit Unit to carry out its statutory functions effectively.

Governor Ortom while receiving the report, explained that the setting up of the committee was to enable his government reposition the Board for greater service delivery and acknowledged the committee for a job well done.

He stressed the need for quality of service and commitment from all who are in positions of authority so as to get things right, assuring that the report would be discussed at the State Executive Council meeting to come out with a white paper.