–How he slipped through our
fingers, by IGP
fingers, by IGP
A barrage of petitions have
flooded the Senate over the academic and working experience claimed by the
chairman of the Pension Reforms Task Team (PRTT), Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina.
flooded the Senate over the academic and working experience claimed by the
chairman of the Pension Reforms Task Team (PRTT), Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina.
Maina, who is believed to have
escaped from the country to avoid arrest and prosecution over alleged
mismanagement of N469 billion of pension fund, is alleged to have presented
unsubstantiated certificates and maneuvered his way for promotion without
passing through due process in accordance with laid-down civil service rules.
escaped from the country to avoid arrest and prosecution over alleged
mismanagement of N469 billion of pension fund, is alleged to have presented
unsubstantiated certificates and maneuvered his way for promotion without
passing through due process in accordance with laid-down civil service rules.
This is coming on the heels of
rising public anxiety over the outcome of a disciplinary measure being taken
against him by the Head of Service for failure to honour several invitations by
the Senate. President Goodluck Jonathan last week directed the Head of Service
to commence disciplinary action against Maina for abscondment.
rising public anxiety over the outcome of a disciplinary measure being taken
against him by the Head of Service for failure to honour several invitations by
the Senate. President Goodluck Jonathan last week directed the Head of Service
to commence disciplinary action against Maina for abscondment.
A source close to the Senate
Committee on Establishment told our correspondent that allegations of
certificate racket against Maina have flooded the committee following President
Jonathan’s directive.
Committee on Establishment told our correspondent that allegations of
certificate racket against Maina have flooded the committee following President
Jonathan’s directive.
It was gathered that some of
the petitions questioned the eligibility of Maina’s present rank as deputy
director in the federal civil service since he was not among the 103 of the 185
candidates that met the criteria of the promotion interview they sat for based
on available vacancies.
the petitions questioned the eligibility of Maina’s present rank as deputy
director in the federal civil service since he was not among the 103 of the 185
candidates that met the criteria of the promotion interview they sat for based
on available vacancies.
It was also gathered that the
signature of the officer that signed the letters of promotion for the 103
officers is different from the one that signed Maina’s letter.
signature of the officer that signed the letters of promotion for the 103
officers is different from the one that signed Maina’s letter.
The petitioners raised
questions about Maina’s successive promotions which they said were manipulated,
just as they alleged that his certificates and the schools he claimed to have
attended within and outside are not the same with the qualifications issued by
the institutions.
questions about Maina’s successive promotions which they said were manipulated,
just as they alleged that his certificates and the schools he claimed to have
attended within and outside are not the same with the qualifications issued by
the institutions.
One of the petitions stated;
“Besides, his progression is unduly hasty. Maina’s letter with Ref. No.
FCO6243/S.1/Vol. XXVI/692 was signed on 14th March 2011, whereas the genuine
letters were dated 18th October 2011 with Ref. No. FC6243/S.I/Vol. XXII/067.”
“Besides, his progression is unduly hasty. Maina’s letter with Ref. No.
FCO6243/S.1/Vol. XXVI/692 was signed on 14th March 2011, whereas the genuine
letters were dated 18th October 2011 with Ref. No. FC6243/S.I/Vol. XXII/067.”
It was also gathered that Maina
transferred his service from the National Teachers Institute (NTI), Kaduna,
where he was said to be a Higher Executive Officer on GL 08 to the mainstream
federal service in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the federation in
the Federal Ministry of Inter-Government Affairs and Special Duties as a Chief
Administrative Officer on Grade Level 14.
transferred his service from the National Teachers Institute (NTI), Kaduna,
where he was said to be a Higher Executive Officer on GL 08 to the mainstream
federal service in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the federation in
the Federal Ministry of Inter-Government Affairs and Special Duties as a Chief
Administrative Officer on Grade Level 14.
The petitioners also wondered
how it was possible to transfer someone from an executive to administrative
cadre and from a mere Grade Level 08 to Grade Level 14 and therefore urged the
Senate to investigate the transfer letter.
how it was possible to transfer someone from an executive to administrative
cadre and from a mere Grade Level 08 to Grade Level 14 and therefore urged the
Senate to investigate the transfer letter.
The petitioners argued that the
transfer followed an application dated February 25, 2004 by Hassan Saleh on
behalf of the Office of the Permanent Secretary, PSO in the OHCSF, adding that
claims made by Maina of degrees and credentials said to have been obtained have
been found to be false.
transfer followed an application dated February 25, 2004 by Hassan Saleh on
behalf of the Office of the Permanent Secretary, PSO in the OHCSF, adding that
claims made by Maina of degrees and credentials said to have been obtained have
been found to be false.
“Paragraph 2 of the letter
reads: Maina holds a Higher Diploma (Local Govt.), a Masters degree in
Information Technology and another Masters degree in Information Administration
from Kentucky University, USA”.
reads: Maina holds a Higher Diploma (Local Govt.), a Masters degree in
Information Technology and another Masters degree in Information Administration
from Kentucky University, USA”.
However, upon investigation,
the certificate he obtained dated 10th December, 2001 from Kentucky State
University reads: “The Faculty and the Board of Regents confer upon
Abdulrasheed A. Maina the degree (sic) of Master of Public Administration
Management Information Systems International Administration and Development in
recognition of the satisfactory fulfillment of the requirements pertaining to
this (sic) degree”.
the certificate he obtained dated 10th December, 2001 from Kentucky State
University reads: “The Faculty and the Board of Regents confer upon
Abdulrasheed A. Maina the degree (sic) of Master of Public Administration
Management Information Systems International Administration and Development in
recognition of the satisfactory fulfillment of the requirements pertaining to
this (sic) degree”.
But in his resume, Mina claimed
to have a Masters degree in Public Administration with specialisation in
Management Information Systems (Information Technology) and International
Development and Administration just as it was gathered that the two Masters
degrees from the Kentucky State University were said to have been obtained in
2011.
to have a Masters degree in Public Administration with specialisation in
Management Information Systems (Information Technology) and International
Development and Administration just as it was gathered that the two Masters
degrees from the Kentucky State University were said to have been obtained in
2011.
The petitioners alleged, “This
is not feasible and needs to be investigated. Maina has consistently claimed
that he obtained Higher National Diploma in Local Govt. Admin and Finance from
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1987 whereas the certificate is a Higher
Diploma in Local Government issued upon completion of a one-year full-time
course at the university’s Institute of Administration. In any case, since ABU
is not a polytechnic, it is not known to issue Higher National Diploma (HND).”
is not feasible and needs to be investigated. Maina has consistently claimed
that he obtained Higher National Diploma in Local Govt. Admin and Finance from
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1987 whereas the certificate is a Higher
Diploma in Local Government issued upon completion of a one-year full-time
course at the university’s Institute of Administration. In any case, since ABU
is not a polytechnic, it is not known to issue Higher National Diploma (HND).”
Similarly, questions are also
being raised over Maina’s claim that he obtained a letter from the National
Youth Service Corps (NYSC) with reference number NYSC/CMD/FCE/A3/Vol. 11,
dated February 14, 2002 and captioned “Clearance from Participation in
the NYSC Scheme”.
being raised over Maina’s claim that he obtained a letter from the National
Youth Service Corps (NYSC) with reference number NYSC/CMD/FCE/A3/Vol. 11,
dated February 14, 2002 and captioned “Clearance from Participation in
the NYSC Scheme”.
The petitioners insisted that
the basis and authenticity of the letter as at the time it was obtained is
suspicious, especially as there was no evidence that he possessed a
qualification which made him eligible to undergo the NYSC scheme at the time.
the basis and authenticity of the letter as at the time it was obtained is
suspicious, especially as there was no evidence that he possessed a
qualification which made him eligible to undergo the NYSC scheme at the time.
“The NYSC usually issues
certificates of exemption from service and not clearance as claimed in Maina’s
credentials. It is inconceivable that someone with such a shady background
lacking in solid evidence of expertise or practical experience in pension
administration anywhere except during his brief stint at the Customs,
Immigration and Prisons Pension Office (CIPPO) would now claim to have the
expertise to advise government on the management of pensions.”
certificates of exemption from service and not clearance as claimed in Maina’s
credentials. It is inconceivable that someone with such a shady background
lacking in solid evidence of expertise or practical experience in pension
administration anywhere except during his brief stint at the Customs,
Immigration and Prisons Pension Office (CIPPO) would now claim to have the
expertise to advise government on the management of pensions.”
The petitioners urged the
Senate to take necessary steps to probe the alleged inconsistencies and the false
claims in Maina’s certificates “in order to serve as a deterrent to others.”
Senate to take necessary steps to probe the alleged inconsistencies and the false
claims in Maina’s certificates “in order to serve as a deterrent to others.”
Because Maina has gone
underground, it was not possible for Blueprint to reach him yesterday for his
reaction to these allegations.
underground, it was not possible for Blueprint to reach him yesterday for his
reaction to these allegations.
Meanwhile, the
Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed D. Abubakar, yesterday revealed
that Maina sneaked through his office back door when a police team went for his
arrest.
Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed D. Abubakar, yesterday revealed
that Maina sneaked through his office back door when a police team went for his
arrest.
Abubakar explained that the
police could not declare Maina wanted because the force had not communicated
officially with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to really establish
whether or not he had sneaked out of the country.
police could not declare Maina wanted because the force had not communicated
officially with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to really establish
whether or not he had sneaked out of the country.
The police chief, who stated
this when he appeared before the Senate Joint Committee on Police and
Intelligence, said upon a tip-off that Maina was in office, a police team went
there but before they could fill the required forms to see him, the pension
fund boss escaped.
this when he appeared before the Senate Joint Committee on Police and
Intelligence, said upon a tip-off that Maina was in office, a police team went
there but before they could fill the required forms to see him, the pension
fund boss escaped.
He said his men at the Abuja
airport did not report on his exit.
airport did not report on his exit.
Defending the security cover
given Maina, the IGP explained that it was granted on request when Maina said
his life was under threat in the course of the assignment.
given Maina, the IGP explained that it was granted on request when Maina said
his life was under threat in the course of the assignment.
He said it was in
acknowledgement of this that he was provided with four policemen drawn from the
FCT command, who were detailed to provide security for him only in the office
and not out of office.
acknowledgement of this that he was provided with four policemen drawn from the
FCT command, who were detailed to provide security for him only in the office
and not out of office.
Source: Blueprint
