…says Prof Saadatu emerged NSUK VC on merit
As his administration embarks on the fresh recruitment of primary school teachers, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has urged civil servants in the state not to interfere in the process but to ensure that only qualified teachers are recruited.
Governor Sule made the appeal during the presentation of allocation letters of 312 housing units to civil servants at the Government House on Friday.
According to the Governor, when unqualified teachers are employed, the state may not be able to deliver the anticipated quality of education, particularly at the primary school level.
He lamented that previous exercises were characterized by allegations of interference and manipulation of the selection process in favour of friends and relatives of those handling the employment.
“A lot of you are probably involved in this employment exercise. When we plead with you to employ people, you will see in most cases we back out. Not because we don’t know people. Not because people don’t disturb us. But because especially in the area of education, we want to ensure that it is on merit.
“It’s going to be purely on merit that people who are taken to come and teach our children are people who are qualified to teach our children.
“Unfortunately, when I came back from the trip from Saudi, you hear all kinds of stories. That the right people who are supposed to, somebody who has passed the test, that some of you again are changing the names and bringing in your brothers and sisters. It’s not a good thing at all. At the end of the day, when you pay peanuts, you end up hiring monkeys.
“We have just finished the employment for secondary school teachers, and that is the one we are getting all these issues. I am hoping that during the primary school, you will help in your various ministries and ensure that it is done properly and based on merit,” he stated.
Governor Sule used the opportunity to clear the air regarding the recent appointment of the first female Vice Chancellor of the Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK), stressing that Professor Saadatu Liman emerged solely based on merit.
He said Professor Saadatu was appointed because she performed the best during the interview conducted by the committee chaired by Professor Attahiru Jega.
“That is why I am proud to say, they said I have done the first, the first and the first. Yes. I have also done the first female Vice Chancellor at the NSUK. I didn’t do that because I like Professor Saadatu. It is because she performed wonderfully during the interview.
“The interview was not just conducted by any ordinary person. It was conducted by a team chaired by Professor Attahiru Jega. When such a committee conducted the interview and told me this is the scores of this person and has done so wonderful. I just had to close my eyes and say I will go with the selection. And that was how she was selected. Believe me, we have given the best performer at the interview. That was what we did,” he said.
