…probe infractions in Anambra-Imo River Basin Authority

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

House of Representatives has asked the National Universities Commission, NUC, to review academic curriculum to reflect modern realities and job needs in the country.

Resolution to that effect was taken at Wednesday plenary on a motion titled “Need to Review Curriculum of Tertiary Institutions to Reflect Job Needs and Serve as an instrument for Achieving National Development” moved by Hon. Kabiru Amadu

The House of noticed infractions in the financial records of Anambra/Imo River Basin.

Moving his motion, Hon. Amadu noted that Nigeria’s educational curriculum was in dire need of innovation, critical to national development and sustenance as the curriculum being implemented presently by various institutions was designed about 30 years ago.

ALSO READ: NASS in N2 billion Premium Insurance Debt

He said that the curriculum was making it inadequate to meet the present-day needs of employers of labour.

He said: “A review of the curriculum would help students from secondary level to have better and quality education while making them relevant to the labour industry and being globally competitive.

“The consequence of tertiary institutions relying on the outdated curriculum is that the country would continue to turn out the same kind of graduates and professionals that are unemployable.”

The lawmaker added that the inadequacy of the Curriculum of the nation’s tertiary Institutions has led to so many Nigerians travelling abroad to acquire basic trainings, thereby exporting needed foreign exchange.

ALSO READ: Boko Haram: UNICEF excited as Army releases 223 children from custody

Adopting the motion, the House urged NUC in collaboration with tertiary institutions, to plan the curriculum in line with what was needed for graduates’ performance in workplaces and national development.

It mandated the Committee on Tertiary Education and Services to ensure compliance.

In a related development, the House Committee on Public Accounts in its ongoing hearing of unaudited accounts of various government agencies uncovered gross violations and constitutional breach in the accounts of Anambra-Imo River Basin Authority between 2014 and 2019.

The Committee chaired by Hon. Wole Oke regretted that the authority failed to ensure a proper audited report was sent to the Auditor General’s office.

On the same vein, the Committee also found the management of the Irrua Specialist Hospital, Edo State culpable for financial infractions between 2014 to 2017.

Submitting his defence, the CMD of the specialist hospital said he was kidnapped, an ill development, he said, was the reason he could not submit audited account for the years under review.

He also blamed the refusal of the External Auditors to complete and submit their audited reports, saying it causes the delay.

In his ruling, the committee chairman, Oke insisted that the conduct of the specialist hospital was a constitutional breach.

He later summoned external auditor for his own explanations.

Vanguard News