Abuja all is not well between the Ministers of
Education, Malam Adamu Adamu and
Professor Anthony Anwukah. The two
ministers, New Telegraph gathered, had not
been in good terms since August 4, when the
Federal Government announced the removal
of 17 Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of
parastatals, agencies and commissions under
the Ministry of Education.
Findings by our correspondent revealed that
Adamu, a confidant of President Muhammadu
Buhari, had made recommendations to the
president on the appointment of new CEOs to
replace those sacked without the input of his
colleague, who is a former vice chancellor and
a nominee of Governor Rochas Okorocha of
Imo State in the cabinet.
The minister had , at the inauguration of the
new heads of education agencies under the
ministry, exonerated himself of having hands
in the appointments, claiming that they were
made by the president. But a source within the
Ministry of Education alleged that Adamu might
have been running a oneman show at the
ministry.
“The minister of state supervises JAMB, UBEC,
NECO and other agencies. How is it possible
that he would not be involved in the
appointment of those he supervises and
reports to the president?” the source queried.
The cold war brewing between them played out
yesterday when Adamu denied knowledge of
the recent increment in the school fees of
Federal Government Colleges also known as
Unity Schools recently announced by the office
of the Minister of State for Education,
Anwukah.
The minister, who gave the shocking revelation,
in a chat with newsmen at the sidelines of the
National Education Quality Assurance
Handbook’s launch, said the news of the
increment from N20,000 to N75,000 was
strange to him.
“I am not aware that the Unity School fees have
been increased. As the Minister of Education, I
am not aware, but I will try and find out,” he
said.
While answering a question on the feud
between him and the minister of state over the
recent appointment of new head of 17
agencies, Adamu claimed ignorance of the
development, but admitted to mistakenly
failed to acknowledge the presence of his
(Anwukah’s) representative during the launch
of the handbooks. “I am not also aware that he
has been sidelined, but you can go and find out
from the source that told you, ” he added.
The frosty relationship between them
manifested when Anwukah was observed to be
absent at events that attracted the presence of
Adamu since those appointments were made.
A source in the ministry blamed the sudden
change of attitude of the Minister of State on
the way the latter sidelined him on the
recommendation to Buhari on those to be
appointed to head agencies in the ministry.
While pleading for anonymity, the source
wondered if the ministry was no longer
properly coordinated for the minister to claim
ignorance of a directive concerning the school
fees increase that came from the office of his
colleague. “Is it possible that he will not be
aware of such increase?
Or is it that the ministry is not coordi snated
again, especially when the Permanent
Secretary, Dr. Folasade Yemi- Esan, confirmed
the increment ?” asked the source. To press
home his grievances, Anwukah allegedly
shunned the inauguration of the newly
appointed chief executives.
This was also followed by his conspicuous
absence during the flag-off of the 2016
Teachers’ Professional Development Workshop
in Abuja on August 1. The event was organised
by the Universal Basic Education Commission
(UBEC ), which is under the purview of the
Minister of State.
Anwukah did not also have a representative
standing for him. Speaking on the absence of
the Minister of State at the event, which held at
Jabi Junior Secondary School, the highly placed
source said that the office of the minister was
not even aware of the event, noting that
Anwukah was in town on that day.
The source, however, disclosed that the two
ministers have only shown that they have
cordial relationship on the surface as they
relate well in the office everyday, but engage in
cold war.
“What baffles many of us is that on the surface,
it appears all is well between the two of them
because the main minister often time strolls
down to the Minister of State’s office. “In fact, if
he is fasting, he will invite the minister of state
to his office to break fast with him.
But it appears that the heads of departments
and directors at the ministry have also seen the
body language of the two of them, ” the source
told New Telegraph. Speaking on the Unity
Schools’ fees, the Permanent Secretary, Yemi-
Esan, admitted that the Federal Government
has increased the fees.
The Permanent Secretary said the increment,
which was focused on boarding fees, was to
meet up with the cost of running the schools.
She said: “The school fees of the Federal
Government Colleges has been increased, but
not up to the 300 per cent as being claimed.
You must be aware of the reality in the
country. “ It is important for the Federal
Government Colleges to maintain the students
that are there and you must also be aware that
these schools are tuition free
What has been increased is the boarding fee,
but is not up to N75,000,” she added, just as
she denied knowledge of any feud between the
two education ministers.