Newsdiaryonline.com today received a petition protesting the demotion of a school principal in Delta State.We have decided to run the correspondence unedited below:
The Hon. Commissioner,
Min. of Basic and Sec Education,
Asaba,
Delta State.
Through:
The C.I.E
Min. of Education,
Aniocha North,
Issele-Uku.
Sir,
REPORT OF INCIDENCE OF BURGLARY
I hereby write to report the incidence of burglary in the above named institution and to state as follows.
On the 26th of January 2012 at about 6:55 I received a phone call from the school driver. Mr. Uzu Michael that the school was raided by armed rubbers. During the telephone conversion, he told me the outgoing principal, who was yet to handover as at that day, has also been communicated through the phone.
Upon arrival in the school at about 7:30 I went to the police station of Onicha-Ugbo and reported the incident. The most senior police officer in station followed me to the school for on the sport assessment. On the request of the police officer in charge of the station, a photographer was brought in to take snap shorts of the damages done by the armed rubbers during the operation.
At the police station I made my statement, but since as at that hour of the day and the burglary I was yet to take full charge of the principal’s office, I could not catalogue the items stolen from the principals office. In addition to the giant 25KVA generator removed from the Generator hut, attached to the (E.T.F) project computer hall, other items stolen from the principal’s office are as shown in a photocopy of the additional statement handed in by the outgoing principal Mr. Obi Nwabuine M. is here attached.
Attached also are photocopies of the photograph of the different damages done during the armed robbers operations on that ill fated day.
Consequently I reported the matter by phone to the C.I.E. Ministry of Education Issele-Uku. Mr. Obi Nwabuine M. the outgoing principal who came later to the police station made his statement to the police. It was later on that same day that he carried out the handling over to me.
Two of the security men on duty names listed below
- Mr. Anyia Sunday
- Idabor F.K.
Were interrogated, while these other two names below (casual workers) who were picked up from their homes and interrogated by the police since they were also on duty with the names earlier mentioned.
- Okah Chukwuwike
- Nwabuebo P. Patrick
All the four were detained over night inline with the police investigation process.
The principal of former St. Pius Xth Grammar Junior Secondary Mr. Uvbiakpahor U. Makre who was also informed of the incidence of breaking in burglary of his office could not be available to ascertain what was stolen from his office and hence make his statement. According to him, in telephone conversion he was hospitalized. A week after the incidence the police still inquired about him. In telephone conversion with the police officer in charge of the Onicha-Ugbo Police station he said he was still hospitalized.
However, Mr.Ubiekpahor U. Makre turned up finally on the 20th of Feb, 2012. He handed over to me on that day, and according to him a set of Desktop computer was stolen from his office. I therefore urged him to go to the police station and make his statement, and this I suppose he did.
Thanks.
SCHOOL STAMP AND SIGNATURE OF PRINCIPAL
__________________
S.O. Arinze
Principal
SIGNATURE OF RECIPIENT AT HCE OFFICE AND DATE
THE BASIC THINGS TO NOTE:
1. I was just resuming in the above stated schools(St. Pius Onicha Ugbo Juniour and Senior secondary School.The handover process of former principals of both schools have not been to me has not been done.
2. When the Obi of Onicha Ugbo visited the scene of the incident on the 26th day of January, 2012, his comment and I quote; “ was that the school was too porous and that the government has not lived up to its promises of fencing the school which was made years ago, despite repeated incidence of armed robbers raiding the school.
He also condemned the shoddy work on the E.T.F computer laboratory project hall and referred particularly to the generator hut –which had poor/weak walls, with poorly shucked four inches blocks and the careless way the generator was kept on a lorry tyre instead of being fixed into a concrete base.”
These same comments the Obi of Onicha Ugbo, informed me personally that he confronted the Honourable Commissioner of Education with, when he latter visited him (Obi of Onicha Ugbo), to inform him of the Ministry of Education’s plan to handover the school (St. Pius Xth Grammar School to the former owners – the Catholic Mission.
For further confirmation, the obi of Onicha – Ugbo’s number is here given below:
08034041629.
3. On the 5th of June, the two outgoing principals Mr. Obi Nwabuine M. and Mr. Macre U. Uvbiegbahor as well as myself Mr. S.O Arinze the current principal of St. Pius Xth Grammar School Onicha-Ugbo met with the Honourable Commissioner for Education (Basic and Secondary) on his invitation to his office, each person I mean myself and the two outgone principal made our respective submissions, verbally to the HCE, in the presence of the P.S Post Primary Education Board, the Director, Project and Planning, and other officials, and the Commissioner agreed that the contractor did a shoddy job on the project, with particular reference to the generator hut and the careless way the generator was kept on a lorry tyre. He went further to inquire how much of the contractors pay was left and he was told 15%. Then he ordered that the contractor must not be paid his balance.
He then directed us to make our submissions in writing to the panel he has ordered the Post Education Boards to set up to look into the matter.
This we did two day after (below is my own submission).
SUBMISSIONS FROM MR .S.O ARINZE (IN-COMING) PRINCIPAL ST PIUS X TH GRAMMAR SCH. ONITCHA-UGBO ON THE BURGLARY OF SCHOOL BY ARMED ROBBERS. ON THE 25TH DAY OF JANUARY 2012 TO THE DISCIPLINARY PANEL DEPARTMENT POST PRIMARY EDUCTATION BOARD ASABA
Following the merging of (articulation of Junior and Senior Secondary Schools) I got posted to St Pius Xth Grammar School Onicha-Ugbo. The letter of posting dated 4th January also summoned all posted principals to a meeting with the Hon. Commissioner for Education (Basic Secondary Education), at Abene Women’s Centre Oleh on the 6th of Jan 2012. At that meeting all posted Principals were directed to resume duty on the 9th of Jan, 2012 if the impending national strike did not hold. There was national strike on removal of fuel subsidy, so I reported in my new school on the 17th of January 2012 after the strike.
In a telephone conversion, the outgoing Principal Mr Obi Nwabuine. M. made me understand he was at Ossisa to report at his new school, we therefore agreed to meet the following day.
When I met with the out going Principal Mr Obi Nwabuine on the 18th, he gave me the keys to the Principals office, – a bunch consisting of 3 keys- one for the pad lock on the burglary proof the 2nd for the door leading to the clerical assistants office, adjoining the principals office and the 3rd, for the door between the clerical assistants office and the principals Office proper. He promised to be available on Friday the 20th of Jan 2012, to carryout the hand-over, which will entails a rundown and briefing on the school history, liabilities, material and human resources and hence practically transferring the control and management of them all, to me. Unfortunately however, on the 19th of January, a lady, whom I letter got to know as auditor with the Ministry of Education (Basic and secondary) visited the school in the company of Mr Otoro. They sought to enter into the internet service (ICT) hall, or laboratory but since, I had no keys to the place, a call was made to the out-going principal Mr Obi. Nwabuine .M. who told us, he could not be available because he rushed his daughter that morning to the hospital (Federal Medical Centre Asaba), However he sent down his son with some bunch of keys to open the ICT. Hall. The lady Auditor, physically counted the set of computers. After that the ICT hall was locked and the bunch of keys, sent back to Principal Obi Nwabuine .M. through his son. As can be guessed the hand-over on Friday the 20th of Jan 2012 did not hold, same fate met subsequent days 23rd and 24th fixed. So on the phone he the out-going principal Mr Obi Nwabuine .M. fixed the 26th.
Unfortunately, on that ill fated day, early in the morning the school driver called on phone, to tell me that, armed robbers entered into the school, broke into principals office and other places. I requested him to also inform the out going principal. I was informed that he had already been informed. So I got prepared and left for the school. I got to the school before the out going Principal Mr. Obi Nwabuine .M. At the school I inquired of the security men on duty the previous night, and I was informed they were already in the police station. At the police station at Onicha-Ugbo I was requested to give my statement and particularly, a run-down of what was stolen by the investigating police officer (IPO). I promptly told the police that in my statement, I would not be able to itemize what was stolen since non of the two out-going principal had handed over to me. I told the IPO that four different places were broken into: (i) The office of the school II principal ii) the office of school I Principal (iii) The library and (iv) the generator hut. And for the items in all these four places, I was not in a good position to itemize immediately, since as I said early none of the two principal had handed over to me as at date. At this juncture the (IPO), demanded I should take him down to the school to see the extent of the damage done during the breaking in by the burglars, and requested I should enlist the service of a photographer. This I did.
Back at the police station in Onicha-Ugbo, Mr. Obi Nwabuine M out-going Principal senior secondary school was invited through a phone call and when he came the IPO made him understand that he was in a best position to give a more comprehensive statement making clear what and what were stolen by the armed rubbers, since he was yet to hand-over to the in-coming principal Mr. S.O. Arinze. Mr. S.O. Arinze was also asked to write his own statement however.
The out-going principal Junior secondary school was equally told on the phone how vital his attention, particularly his statement was in this matter since he was also yet to hand over to the incoming Principal Mr. S.O. Arinze, in his reply he will not come because he was with his hospitalized daughter at Benin.
Earlier in the day I made a phone call to the C.I.E Aniocha North reporting the incidence to her and in the same manner I phoned His Royal Highness the Obi of Onicha-Ugbo. Back from the police station, the Obi drove into the school to see for himself the extent of damage done during the breaking in, by the armed rubbers. It was after the obi had come and gone, that Mr. Obi Nwabuine M. and I settled down to the business of handing over at about noon on the 26th of January, 2012 and were through with the exercised after 2.00pm. Since he had already prepared the handover note and typed we agreed he should pick-out the items stolen and itemize them in a separate sheet. This he did and it got to me about a week after precisely on the 2nd of February 2012.
The other principal, Mr. Macre U. Uvbiegbahor, did not come for this own hand-over until the 20th of February 2012. Upon entering his office, he claimed he suspected the armed robbers removed some computer items: monitor and keyboard were stolen by the armed robbers.
According to him, they were on his table, together with the printer. However we argued that if a monitor and the keyboard, were removed from the table, it would have left a mark showing the sport from where both were removed the table was already dusty. Also that the armed robber wouldn’t have left the printer on that same table. However, I still asked Mr. Macre U. Uvbiegbahor to go Onicha-Ugbo Police station to make his statement.
With regards to writing a report to the Honourable Commissioner Ministry of Education (Basic Secondary), I feel deeply convinced that the responsibility rested on the out-going principals of St. Pius Xth Grammar School, Onicha-Ugbo. Mr. Obi Nwabuine M. and Mr. Macre U. Uvbiegbahor since both were yet to hand over when the burglary took place.
I define hand-over as the act of transferring all liabilities, control and management of human and material resources from the out-going officer to the incoming officer.
The New Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language defines handover-over as the act of transferring the responsibilities of an office together with the relevant documents, moneys, etc, to its new holder.
From the definitions, above report of the incidence to Hon. Commissioner of Education still rested on the out-going Principals Obi Nwabuine M. and Mr. Macre U. Uvbiegbahor who only handed over after the incidence of the burglary to the incoming principal – myself. Mr. S.O. Arinze. So I did not write based on my conviction, and only did so after Mr. Otoro of Ministry of Education (Basic and Secondary) visited about the 20th of March 2012 and having learned of the incidence practically directed I should write.
Attached here with are photocopies of the list of the items stolen by armed rubbers.
In additional to the giant generator removed as given by Mr. Obi Nwabuine.
as well as Photocopies of the pictures of the various damages.
Finally, I want to observe that the ETF project was shoddily executed. In the first place, the walls of the generator hut was built with weak 4 inches blocks with a gaps in-between blocks, and the block very very poorly chucked. So that, to pull down the walls of such a hut was not difficult for the robbers, little wonder therefore, the burglary proof, that was pulled down by the robbers came down with a lots of blocks. (See photocopy of generator hut inside and outside) taken after the incidence of the robbery. Solid 5 inches blocks should have been used instead and chucked end to end while iron sheets/pan should have been used for windows; at least 2 windows to make for proper ventilation.
Secondly, the generator was carelessly left on a lorry tier, this I find most unbelievable and unacceptable knowing that, the school is highly isolated, about 5km from the two neighbouring villages on opposite side of the school, the generator hall wall is “see through” from any corner and the entire school is not fenced as a result, exit and entry into the school is possible from any time from any corner. To the best of my knowledge, such a giant generator, where ever found installed, is usually installed on a concrete slab. It beats my imagination why in this case it is not so. Yet some persons from the Ministry of Education (Basic and Secondary) project, planning and research department to be precise supervised/monitored this project. Further I am made to understand that the principals Mestres Obi Nwabuine .M. and Mr. Macre U. Uvbiegbahor knew nothing about the project – job specifications, and even their humble suggestions were not welcomed.
From the above observations therefore I want to suggest that the Hon. Commissioner for Education (Basic and Secondary) should beam his searchlight for the giant generator that was stolen by the robbers, on the contractor and the project monitors, because of the shoddy and careless way the construction of the generator hut, and the installation of the generator was handle. Infact it seems to suggest some ulterior motive. Innocent principals should be left alone.
This is the bitter truth and my humble submission.
Thanks.
__________________
S.O. Arinze
Principal
The security men- (the government employed) where also invited and they too made their respective submissions in writing.
Since the meeting with the panel nothing else came up until the 10th of September 2012, when in meeting with the HCE he made the following proclamations.
(i) Three principals have been dropped
(ii) They are demoted to classroom teachers, to retain their salaries. They are the current principal of St. Pius Xth Grammar School Onicha –Ugbo, and the two former principals, because of a 25KVA generator stolen by armed robbers, for which the principals were unable to explain why such a heavy Generator properly installed and secured was removed by armed robbers without their being able to do anything to prevent a theft of such magnitude.
4. On the 11th September, 2012, I went to the PPEB Asaba to find out, in what way they found us liable for the giant generator that was removed by the armed robbers, only to gather that the panel’s finding was that the school was porous, not fenced all around, so that entry/exit was possible from any where, also the generator house was poorly built, with weak blocks, the generator can be easily sighted from any angle by intruders into the school since the school with a high expanse of land was not fenced, the generator was dropped carelessly on a lorry tyres, and the number of security men grossly inadequate.
I was also reliably informed in the Post Primary Education Board panel report is even yet to leave the Director ‘s table as at date ie the 11th day of September 2012. So that it was not the panels findings that the Honourable Commissioner for Education used.
Also the police handling the matter – the investigation into the burglary that took place on 25th of January 2012 at St. Pius Xth Grammar School Onicha-Ugbo has not come out with any finding.
Please fellow Nigerians in what way did the Commissioner of Education ,Delta State find the principal who is not leaving the school,Who has just been posted , Guilty and demote him with immediate effect.