Accusation of corruption: Who is the mole in NBTE?, by Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim

I read a viral story about a petition on national dailies, written by a former Director of Human Resource, Lawal Y. Hafiz, a staff of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). The petition accused the Executive Secretary (E.S), Prof. Idris M. Bugaje, of misappropriation and corruption and I had an argument on the petition and this is why I decided to write this piece.

Professor Idris M. Bugaje, who has millions of supporters in Nigeria and the diaspora for his technocratic approach and unwavering fight against corruption, is a staunch advocate for integrity. Accusations of corruption against him may be mere desperate attempt to damage his name on purpose, as this is not the first time people want to dent his image but had failed.

Like in all his previous roles, Professor Idris M. Bugaje established an anti-corruption unit at NBTE to address misappropriation, embezzlement, and substandard work, ensuring accountability and transparency across the board. His hatred for corruption is well-known, and I am a living testimony to this, having worked with him for many years.

Professor Idris M. Bugaje’s integrity remains unblemished, regardless of the fabricated accusations surrounding car swaps, employment misconduct, and corruption in the NBTE. His truth, supported by history and records, will ultimately prevail as the concocted story holds no water, and many will dismiss and disregard it as such.

While a petition has been submitted to the ICPC by a staff member of the NBTE who is under investigation on public misconduct, his action of written a petition while under investigation and bypassing the Minister or the higher-ranking officers at NBTE, is a serious misconduct and abuse of office. The Minister of Education should address this violation of service according to the Civil Service Rules.

Why the petition now? Why not when the former Director was in his position, if he is truly a man of God as he claims? An African proverb says, “A woman can deny all the good things you did to her when you are in a feud.”

While people are celebrating Professor Idris M. Bugaje’s remarkable achievements in elevating NBTE’s excellence and reputation, the individual being punished for his wrongdoing has resorted to fabricating unverified information against a person known for credibility. The attempt to tarnish the reputation and good image of Professor Idris M. Bugaje will ultimately fail, as God protects those who strive for good.

I can recall when Professor Bugaje assumed the role of NBTE Executive Secretary, the Board was in dire need of essential resources. There was no official car for the Executive Secretary’s office, and he had to temporarily use Kaduna Polytechnic vehicle for almost eight months and the Rector, Dr. Sulaiman Umar for his magnanimity and understanding allowed the former Rector to use the car until he returned it. Furthermore, there were no functioning cars for inspection purposes, even for high-ranking officials. Today, NBTE has gained international recognition through the good work of Professor Idris M. Bugaje. If there was any misconduct in the claimed employment, the former Human Resources Director should be held accountable for his was in the position of Director Human Resource when the employment took effect. However, it is laughable that he is now the one pursuing a right.

How could the car swap be perceived as a personal gain when the Executive Secretary, through his own efforts, secured more gift cars for the Board? Why didn’t he use the gifted cars for his personal gain? Professor Bugaje has demonstrably contributed more to NBTE’s progress as the Executive Secretary of the Board, driving the Board and the TVET sector towards a brighter future. Just two days ago, he received the Transformative Excellence award in TVET from Serviccom, yet today we are confronted with accusations of corruption. How can this be true? Who is deceiving whom?

I believe that those who spread these lies will ultimately face the consequences of their actions, as the truth will shine brightly like the sun.

The efforts and contributions of Professor Idris M. Bugaje have brought about remarkable development in Panteka Market, Nigerian polytechnics, and the informal sectors. His dedication has elevated the standard of Nigerian skills and reduced the unemployment gap in the country. The teeming youths of Nigeria will not stand idly by while someone who has done wrong and violated the Civil Service Rules in administrative terms halts or disturbs the progress of the NBTE. Therefore, the NBTE, the Minister of Education, and the National Assembly members of the Educational Committee should ensure that the individual receives true judgment for his misconduct.

Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim, Goronyo is an International Human Rights Activist, writes from Kaduna state and can be reached at auwalgoronyo@gmail.com