Aides of Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue have been enmeshed in serious disagreement over who should collect revenue in the State Ministry of Education.
The Commissioner of Education and Knowledge Management, Frederick Ikyaan, and the director-general (DG) of the Bureau for Education Quality Assurance (BEQA), Terna Francis, are at the centre of the squabble.
In a series of letters exchanged between the two top aides, they all insisted on the collection of the revenue on behalf of the government.
Mr Kyaan, in a letter to education stakeholders titled “Strong Directive” and signed by the permanent secretary, Helen Nambativ, categorically told the schools not to conduct any financial transactions with the bureau.
He also directed the stakeholders to resist every attempt by BEQA staff to confiscate the federal and Benue governments’ approved school records.
“The Ministry of Education has been inundated with complaints of seizures of government-approved records contrary to its directives, which were in line with the 2024/2025 budget, the ministry defended.
“In view of the above, I have been directed by the honourable commissioner to cautiously inform you that the Ministry of Education has at no time mandated BEQA to collect her revenue.
“That henceforth, you are strongly cautioned not to transact financial deals with BEQA. You are to resist every attempt by BEQA staff to confiscate the federal and Benue State governments approved school records,” the letter reads.
However, in response to the ministry’s letter, the BEQA director general stated categorically that the bureau was not under the Ministry of Education and Knowledge Management.
Mr Francis, in his letter titled “Re: Strong Directive,” said the bureau was established by the governor through an executive order issued on December 8, 2023, published and gazetted in the same year.
He said that according to the order, existing quality assurance departments/directorates under the ministry and other departments performing quality assurance functions within the Benue education sector should be merged into BEQA, which would continue to carry out its functions.
“Let it be made abundantly clear that BEQA is not under the Ministry of Education, and the director general is directly answerable to the office of the governor.
“BEQA, being a bureau, has a separate budget, distinct from that of the ministry. It is established as an independent body to curb corruption, reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, and ensure effectiveness in monitoring and evaluation towards an upliftment of education standards.
“BEQA is empowered to maintain appropriate policies pertaining to quality assurance.
“No one is contesting the position of the ministry on policy matters affecting the state. There are six other departments and many parastatals in the ministry with so many other broad responsibilities.
“It is only the department of quality assurance that has been taken away. There is still so much the ministry can focus on doing to improve education in the state,” he stated in his letter.
Mr Francis said the executive order empowered BEQA to produce and circulate all school records and guidelines.
“It is essential to understand that when a governor makes a public pronouncement or issues an executive order, public servants and all responsible are expected to comply without challenge.
“Executive orders are official documents and laws that outline the policies, procedures, or actions the governor wishes to implement.
“Challenging or attempting to alter an executive order can lead to serious consequences,” he added.
(NAN)
