JUST-IN: Nasarawa Gov Suspends Teachers Commission Chair, Others Over Illegal Recruitment

Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule, has ordered the immediate suspension of the chairman and members of the State’s Teachers Service Commission (TSC) over alleged illegal recruitment of over 1,000 teachers.

The governor also ordered an immediate investigation into the anomaly.

Recall that Governor Sule had in February 2023 hinted at plans to recruit 1,000 additional teachers to address the shortage of manpower in the State’s teaching service.

However, it was gathered that the Commission inflated the figure even as the recruitment was carried out without due process and approval.

Our correspondent learnt that the commission engaged over 1,000 teachers more than the approved figure.

The illegality of the process came to light when the Teachers Service Commission could not pay the salaries of the illegal engaged teachers following the directive of the governor.

While the 1,000 that had the official nod got their salaries, those who were engaged illegally could not receive their entitlements.

The non-payment of salaries generated public outcry necessitating Governor Sule to summon a meeting of members of the TSC and other officials of the State’s Ministry of Education.

Present at the meeting was the Commissioner for Education, Mr. John Mamman and chairman of TSC, Malam Mohammed Gada.

It was learnt that during their submissions at the meeting held at the Government House, Lafia, on Monday, the members of the commission admitted to employing over 1,000 teachers without due approval.

Beyond not getting the approval before engaging the additional teachers, allegations of racketeering also trailed the process.

The governor, therefore, directed that a three-man committee be set up to investigate the scandal after which appropriate actions will be taken.