Fresh Tensions as Benue Assembly Moves to Suspend SUBEB Boss

Dr. Grace Adagba, the Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), is being considered for suspension in Benue State.

Please remember that a few days ago, the Benue State House of Assembly passed a motion calling on Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia to suspend the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) chairman.

Additionally, the Assembly instructed Mr. Denen Aondoakaa, Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, to immediately stop releasing monies to the board.

Dr. Adagba was accused in the motion, which was made by Hon. Bemdoo Ipusu, of declining to appear before an ad hoc committee that the House had established to look into alleged unlawful activity inside SUBEB.

Ipusu told the House that the chairman had blocked the legislature’s constitutional oversight duties by writing a letter rejecting the legislature’s right to look into contracts the board awarded.

Citing recurrent encounters with the House, lawmakers who participated in the debate unanimously supported Dr. Adagba’s suspension and voiced their extreme displeasure of her behavior.

According to information obtained, this is the third time the chairman of SUBEB and the Benue State Assembly have disagreed.

Dr. Adagba’s absence from an ad hoc committee meeting looking into SUBEB’s operations was noted in the motion, which was sponsored by Hon. Bemdoo Ipusu.

Political analysts point out that the action coincides with escalating disputes over the hiring of teachers between the executive and legislature.

Although the Daily Independent was unable to fully confirm these claims, some media speculate that the conflict may be connected to larger political scheming in the state.

The resolution to suspend Adagba, however, is thought to have deviated from the standard legislative procedure.

Observers suspected that the call for SUBEB’s suspension was politically motivated because, according to a video of the House plenary where the Ad Hoc Committee on State-Wide Contract Verification was established independently, SUBEB was not initially on the list of agencies to be investigated.

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This was confirmed by a committee member who spoke to our correspondent anonymously. “SUBEB wasn’t even included in our original scope.” During our Tuesday, August 5 meeting, the subject of her suspension unexpectedly came up, according to the source.

According to the Daily Independent, the dispute allegedly started earlier this year when the Assembly halted a SUBEB-run state-wide teacher recruiting campaign.

According to sources, when contract awards under projects supported by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) became contentious, tensions increased. Adagba insisted on due procedure and reportedly resisted attempts by some MPs to influence the contracts.

Adagba allegedly wrote to the Assembly committee on August 4th, stating that she was prepared to appear before it if she had at least 30 days to prepare her documentation.

But the House passed the resolution suspending her the very following day.

Concerns have been raised by observers that the situation would harm Benue’s ties with UBEC and other donor organizations, which frequently condition assistance on openness and adherence to regulations.