ASABA/Nigeria: Delta State Commissioner for Secondary Education, Mrs. Rose Ezewu, has vehemently refuted allegations circulating on various media platforms, declaring them “baseless and non-factual.” The allegations accused her of compelling school principals and Chief Inspectors of Education (CIEs) to purchase portraits of the Executive Governor of the state, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, and herself.
These allegations, which were widely disseminated through news outlets and social media, claimed that the education monitoring taskforce, led by Tony Edah as its coordinator in Delta Central senatorial district, was involved in forcefully extracting funds from education officials for the purchase of these portraits.
Mrs. Ezewu responded to these allegations, attributing them to “detractors in the education sector who were jittery for reasons best known to them.” She asserted that these claims were entirely defamatory, false, and products of the detractors’ imaginations, perpetuated by contracted authors.
The Commissioner stressed her commitment to upholding discipline and transparency within the secondary school department of the education sector. She maintained that she had never engaged in financial impropriety or forced individuals to act against their will.
Mrs. Ezewu underscored the collaborative nature of her ministry’s operations, emphasizing the input of all management staff in the decision-making process. She stated, “As the commissioner for a ministry that parades experienced staff, I value the skillful input of all cadre of staff in the ministry.”
Addressing specific allegations, Mrs. Ezewu denied instructing Mr. Israel Akpokeri, a Director in the ministry, to communicate with principals and CIEs to demand “kola wedging” to the tune of ₦30,000, as claimed in the publication. She dismissed this as a futile attempt to undermine her efforts to bring sanity to secondary schools in the state.
The Commissioner also called upon journalists to adhere to the ethical principles of their profession, emphasizing the importance of fact-based journalism that ensures balanced and fair reporting.
