News
Benue Education Official Steps Down After Issuing Unapproved Introductory Letter
Agbo Ochekpe, the Permanent Secretary in the Benue State Ministry of Education and Knowledge Management, has resigned following controversy surrounding an introductory letter he issued for an admission seeker at the University of Kinshasa, Congo.
EKO HOT BLOG gathered that Ochekpe had issued the letter at the request of a pastor who claimed to be introducing the applicant to him, without seeking the necessary approvals. This led to accusations of corruption and sparked an uproar within government circles.
However, State Head of Service Agbogbo Ode addressed the situation on Tuesday, clarifying that the issue was a matter of “pure ignorance” rather than corruption. Ode explained that Ochekpe’s resignation was not due to any criminal wrongdoing but rather a misunderstanding of protocol.
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“The Permanent Secretary did not resign due to corruption. He is actually one of the most diligent public servants,” Ode stated.
“The situation arose from ignorance of proper procedure. A pastor from Gboko had introduced a family to Ochekpe, requesting an introductory letter for a student admitted to the University of Kinshasa. The Permanent Secretary admitted he did not consult the commissioner or seek prior approval, believing it was a minor issue.”
Benue
Ode further explained that Ochekpe did not know the student personally and took full responsibility for the oversight. He has since submitted his resignation and is currently in the process of handing over his duties.
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In addition, the Head of Service also announced that a Director of Planning and Research in the Ministry of Rural Development and Cooperatives has been suspended indefinitely following an investigation into a missing transformer. The committee’s report implicated the director, leading to his suspension and four other senior staff members accused of vandalizing a transformer at the Secretariat.
Ode emphasized that the state government is committed to maintaining discipline and will not tolerate any form of misconduct from its employees.
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