JAMB Unions Slam Ex-Director’s Claim Of Unlawful Dismissal

The Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), JAMB chapter, have described claims by a dismissed former staff member, Yisa Usman, as unfounded.

Usman, a former deputy director of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, had filed a N150m suit against the board over alleged unlawful dismissal.

However, the two unions in a statement signed on Monday by the Branch Chairman, NASU, Comrade Andrew O. Onakpa and Branch Chairman ASCSN, Comrade Ebenezer O. Ayelabola, stated that Usman’s intention aims to tarnish the reputation of the Board and undermine the welfare initiatives established by JAMB through various approvals.

“His claims that funds are being misallocated to individuals are nothing more than a desperate attempt to disrupt the functioning of the Board.

“Mr. Usman should explain how staff received payments prior to 2016 if not through their personal accounts, including his own. Since the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), staff members, including Mr. Usman, received advances directly into their personal accounts. We challenge him to provide evidence to the contrary.

“His assertion that the Board has self-declared as a Government Owned Enterprise (GOE) is a clear indication of his misunderstanding. The Federal Government has designated the Board as a GOE through existing laws, and it is the Board’s obligation to comply with government mandates. This reflects Mr. Usman’s ignorance of governmental operations.

“While he criticizes the staff housing scheme and other welfare initiatives, he fails to recognize that government regulations do not prohibit the introduction of housing schemes for individual home acquisition in the form of grants and loans. What is restricted is government ownership and maintenance of official housing.

“The Unions are aware that Mr. Usman has submitted petitions to various government bodies, all of which have conducted thorough investigations and cleared the Board of any wrongdoing.

“These bodies include the Office of the Immediate Past Vice-President of Nigeria, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) of the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Federal Ministry of Education, the Accountant General of the Federation, and the Auditor General of the Federation. Each of these investigations found the Board to be compliant and above reproach.

“When these authorities issued their findings, which cleared the Board, Mr. Usman resorted to disparaging them instead of accepting the outcomes. It is evident that he is being used as a pawn by those who wish to undermine the management of the Board.”

The Unions urged JAMB to remain focused and disregard Usman.

JAMB Unions Slam Ex-Director’s Claim Of Unlawful Dismissal is first published on The Whistler Newspaper