Report on alleged diversion of funds, sheer blackmail – TRCN
The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) has dismissed a report on the purported diversion of funds in the agency published by Aljazirah Newspaper Nigeria.
It described the report as a baseless and calculated attempt by authors of the story to blackmail the Council.
A statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday and signed by Oduh Anthony, Head of Media, TRCN, said all projects carried out in TRCN are properly budgeted for and executed to the letters.
The statement said TRCN’s Registrar, Prof. Josiah Ajiboye, has not only entrenched transparency in the running of the Council’s affairs but has also introduced various reforms and programmes that have received commendations from far and near.
The statement read: “The attention of the TRCN Registrar/CE has just been drawn to a news item flagged by the Aljazirah Newspaper Nigeria titled “Scandal as Funds Diverted at Teachers Council”.
“This subtle blackmail by the authors of the story will not fly as the allegations are completely baseless, untrue, and a wicked attempt to destroy the excellent job being done by Prof Ajiboye since assumption of office on 2nd August 2016”.
“The allegations of diversion of funds are imaginary and a figment of the imagination of the writers. All projects carried out in TRCN are properly budgeted for and executed to the letters”.
“In the first instance, TRCN does not collect cash in all its operations. All payments to TRCN are done through the government-approved REMITA platform. Consequently, no officer of TRCN deals with cash. Furthermore, all payments to individuals, contractors, and government (CRF) are done through appropriate payment platforms of either GIFMIS or REMITA hence no loopholes for diversion of any fund”.
“To say that Prof Ajiboye records at TRCN speak volumes. First, he introduced the unique Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE) to TRCN which aims at regulating entering into the profession”.
“The PQE has now become a permanent program on TRCN Calendar with several Tertiary Institutions (Federal, State, and Private) now running the examination. Not only that, Nigerians in diaspora now enjoy the same examination from any country of their domicile”.
“The introduction of the New Career Path for the teaching profession in Nigeria is unparalleled in Africa. This makes Nigeria the first country to have a separate career path for teacher professionalism and growth. Needless to add that this new Career path is what the Federal Government is adopting a new welfare scheme for Nigeria teachers”.
“On assumption of office in TRCN Prof Ajiboye met a new emerging building at the TRCN Headquarters at the DPC level. To the glory of God and conscientiousness of the helmsman, that building was successfully completed and personally inaugurated on the 25th of August 2020 by the Hon Minister of Education Malam Adamu Adamu. Another testimonial to the forthrightness of Prof Ajiboye”.
“Achievements of Prof Ajiboye in TRCN are numerous. They also include the introduction of the Teacher Information System and Interactive Platform to provide registered teachers a forum for the exchange of ideas and professional development. Suffice it to add that the introduction of Digital Literacy Training for Nigeria teachers by TRCN under the able leadership of Ajiboye has really helped to boost the pedagogical skills on the use of digital technology by Nigeria teachers.
“Consequently any attempt to rubbish or disparage the achievements of TRCN under Ajiboye is a move in the wrong direction to discourage an astute academic like him.”
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