Board members of the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, have disclosed that there is no discord among board members as they are working with the Executive Chairman, Dr. Grace Adagba, to ensure that basic education is repositioned in the state.
This was disclosed to journalists on Tuesday in Makurdi by a member of the board representing ‘Zone B’, Prince Andy Uwouku.
He said it was malicious for anyone to claim that SUBEB in Benue was being run by the Executive Chairman without the collaboration of the entire members of the board.
He said the ongoing automation of the payroll system in the board as well as the ongoing face-lift of facilities and provision of new ones among others were being done through collective resolve of members in collaboration with the chairman to ensure sustainable growth and development of basic education in the state.
“A recent report accusing the Executive Chairman of high handedness and working alone without the input of the Board members is not true and very strange.
“Since the coming of the Board on December 15, 2023 we have been working together as a team and the Chairman has not been working alone.
“She involves us in the running of the board and since we came on board we have held about three or four board meetings called by the Chairman to intimate members of what is happening.
“We have commenced the automation of the payroll of teachers as well as the complete renovation of the headquarters and provision of facilities all with the approval of the board.
“We work as a team and anytime the Chairman is out of the state on an official assignment she does not leave a vacuum, she ensures I act on her behalf, just like I am doing now.
“So it is not correct to say the board is being run in exclusion of board members. There is synergy among board members, the board Secretary and the Executive Chairman. Nothing is happening here without our knowledge as board members,” he said.
Also, the Board Secretary, Dr. Joseph Jande, pointed out that there was synergy among the board members which gave room to the innovations and successes being recorded by the board in its short time of existence.
According to him, “all of us here are working in synergy and in collaboration with each other.
“The Chairman seeks advice from members on issues that have to do with the administration of the board.
“Such that at the time the success of this place will be listed it is not only the Chairman that will take the glory because we are all working as a team.
“And if she fails, God forbid, it is all of us that have failed; so we will not want to be part of any system that has failed or will fail.
“That is why we are all collaborating to make sure that this organisation moves forward from where it was. We are making efforts both in administration and in structures to ensure that the board is accorded a general face-lift.
“So we are doing our best to make sure that the problems we met on ground are tackled. We want to ensure that members of staff are diligent in their work and the basic education system in Benue state is properly positioned. And as we are working harmoniously together we would not want a situation where someone would break our ranks.”
On his part, the member representing ‘Zone A’ at the Board, Mr. Paul Ebe noted that “with the commencement of the automation of teachers’ payroll, all the issues we had in the past including the deduction of teachers’ salaries without cogent reasons will be a thing of the past; and there will be no problems with salary payment anymore.”
Benue SUBEB members dismiss rumour of discord with chairman, Adagba