NBTE Rejects Fraud Claims, Accuses Suspended Director of Defamation Campaign
The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has firmly denied accusations of financial mismanagement directed at its Executive Secretary, asserting that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has not initiated any investigation against him.
In a statement signed by the Head of Media Unit, Fatima Abubakar, the Board dismissed the report published by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) on February 10, 2025, calling it a smear campaign led by certain discontented staff members, including a suspended director, Lawal Hafiz.
The statement alleged that Hafiz and his associates had submitted multiple petitions in 2024, claiming that funds intended for accreditation exercises had been misappropriated.
However, NBTE asserted that these allegations had already been addressed in official communications sent to the Minister of Education and other relevant government bodies.
The Board explained that prior to 2024, institution accreditations were conducted physically, necessitating cash advances for staff to cover payments to resource persons, including air travel and honoraria.
In early 2024, a digital accreditation process was introduced to eliminate the need for cash advances.
As part of the transition, a temporary allowance for physical accreditation has been granted until March 2025, giving institutions time to enhance their ICT capabilities.
Responding to allegations of financial misconduct, NBTE justified its spending by referencing Ramat Polytechnic, which engaged 101 external resource persons in the past year.
The Board clarified that the N30 million allocated for their services averaged N300,000 per expert, a sum deemed reasonable given travel expenses and allowances.
Additionally, the fees paid by institutions encompass other charges, such as service fees, NBTE journals, and inspectorate surcharges, contributing to the total cost.
Regarding NBTE Consult Ltd, the Board described it as a legally established entity created in 2021 to generate revenue through training and consultancy activities.
It stressed that the company operates lawfully and provides an alternative revenue stream for the Board amid reduced government funding.
The Board also refuted allegations of selling luxury vehicles, clarifying that when the Executive Secretary assumed office in 2021, he inherited only accident-damaged cars and a single Toyota Hilux.
It further explained that the Executive Secretary had to borrow a vehicle from Kaduna Polytechnic before procuring 12 brand-new vehicles from the Board’s capital budget.
NBTE accused Hafiz and his supporters of leveraging media outlets to disseminate misinformation, claiming they turned to a media campaign after exhausting official petitioning avenues.
“The Board shall not be diverted, shall remain focused, and shall not relent in ensuring transparency in our operations, the deployment of technology to minimize human interference, and taking Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to a new level of renewed hope for Nigerian youth,” the statement read.
