The Forum of State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Chairmen has come out in strong defence of the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Hajia Aisha Garba Mohammed, after a recent report by Sahara Reporters containing allegations of misconduct against her.
The allegations, which surfaced in a press conference reportedly organised by an individual claiming to be an Education Rights Activist, were dismissed as unfounded and politically motivated by the forum.
In a press statement issued on behalf of all 36 state SUBEB chairmen and the FCT, the Dean of the Forum, Professor Shehu Raheem Adaramaja, described the claims as “spurious” and “a deliberate attempt to malign a public servant whose commitment to accountability and excellence is well established.”
According to the statement, Hajia Garba Mohammed has enjoyed widespread and unwavering support from all state chairmen since assuming office as the head of UBEC.
Her tenure, they said, has been marked by significant reforms in basic education administration across Nigeria, particularly in fund disbursement, project monitoring, and tackling the longstanding challenge of out-of-school children.
“Her leadership has been nothing short of transformative,” the statement read. “Under her watch, UBEC has recorded remarkable strides in improving the efficiency of fund disbursement, transparency in project monitoring, and direct intervention in addressing key foundational education challenges.”
The forum praised Hajia Garba’s emphasis on due process and integrity, crediting her with fostering greater synergy between UBEC and the various state SUBEBs.
They highlighted her performance-based approach to education administration, which they said is already producing visible improvements across several states.
“She has demonstrated outstanding professionalism, integrity, and vision. Her stewardship at UBEC remains a shining example of what public service should be—selfless, principled, and development-oriented,” the forum emphasized.
The group further accused unnamed “retrogressive elements” of orchestrating the smear campaign in response to the reforms and transparency introduced under Hajia Garba’s leadership.
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“These allegations are a calculated attempt to frustrate an administration that prioritizes transparency and institutional reform,” the forum added.
In their statement, the SUBEB Chairmen also took aim at Sahara Reporters, the online media outlet that published the allegations.
They urged the platform to exercise journalistic responsibility and verify such claims before dissemination. “We also call on the publisher of Sahara Reporters to uphold journalistic integrity by verifying such sensational claims before dissemination,” they stated.
Reaffirming their collective confidence in Hajia Aisha Garba Mohammed, the chairmen described her as a “dependable partner” in the national effort to improve Nigeria’s basic education sector in line with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda. They appealed to the public, the media, and development partners to disregard the allegations and continue to support UBEC’s reform-driven leadership.
“She remains a dependable partner in our collective quest to strengthen basic education and secure the future of our nation,” the statement concluded.
The Universal Basic Education Commission is a federal agency responsible for coordinating and monitoring all aspects of the Universal Basic Education programme in Nigeria.
Its mission includes improving access to quality basic education and ensuring effective resource deployment to public schools across the country.
Hajia Aisha Garba Mohammed was appointed as the Executive Secretary of UBEC with a mandate to drive reforms in the sector and improve education access for all Nigerian children, especially those in underserved and hard-to-reach communities.
Crediblenewsng.com
