BY SEGUN ADEBAYO, ABUJA – Chairman of the Governing Board of National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), Professor Leonard Karshima Shilgba, on Thursday said his Board has instituted a Whistle-blower policy in line with the President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption war.
This is just as he affirmed the readiness of the NABTEB to partner with the Media Rights Agenda (MRA), to ensure that the examinations body fulfills its constitutional mandate fully, uncompromisingly, and faithfully.
Shilgba who stated these while reacting to a press statement titled “MRA Confers NABTEB with FOI ‘Hall of Shame’ Award for Violating Its Obligations under FOI Act,” said the Governing Board had already directed the Registrar/Chief Executive of NABTEB to make available the requested information, and report back to the Chairman.
The MRA had in the statement issued in Lagos by its Legal Officer, Ms. Morisola Alaba, named NABTEB as this week’s recipient of the “Freedom of Information (FOI), Hall of Shame” award, accusing the examinations body of consistently violating its obligations under the FOI Act while also denying citizens the right to obtain information from it.
Alaba in a publication by the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), an Abuja-based non-governmental organisation, said that NABTEB has not been responsive to requests for information.
In his reaction, Professor Shilgba said that even before the MRA statement, he had, hours after the inauguration of the Governing Board in March 22, 2018, demanded for many and more of the pieces of information requested by MRA.
According to Prof Shilgba; “In the new spirit of transparency and accountability, which the Buhari Government embraces, the new (9th) Governing Board of NABTEB has instituted a Whistle-blower policy, which was announced by the Chairman on Thursday, April 26, 2018, during the maiden working visit by the Governing Board at National Headquarters of NABTEB at Benin City.”
He therefore called on MRA to partner with NABTEB to enforce its broad mandate, which, according to him, was unfortunately being encroached upon by certain agencies and organizations.
Shilgba further said; “This is very important, even as MRA itself acknowledges the significant role NABTEB should play in national development. This role will be felt by all Nigerians very soon, with the unyielding support by organizations and bodies such as MRA.”
While apologizing for its failings in the past, the NABTEB Chairman expressed hope that with steps being taken to open up the examinations body to the public and fulfill its broad mandate, “NABTEB’s award by MRA by 2019 would be one we shall be proud of, and not ashamed of.”
To demonstrated the seriousness the Governing Board attaches to its Whistle-blower policy, Professor Shilgba said a contact email:nabtebstaffcomplaints@gmail.com (also nabtebstaffcomplain@gmail.com), besides a contact phone number:08097061460 have been provided.
