By Shafa’atu A. Abdullahi

ABUJA, Oct 8, 2024 – The National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) is among 26 institutions that failed to meet the assessment criteria of the 2024 Nigeria Integrity and Transparency Index. This development has sparked concerns among staff members, who attribute the poor performance to the previous registrar’s leadership style.

Staff members who spoke to Education Monitor criticized the former registrar, Professor Shafiu Abdullahi, for his alleged reckless and maladministrative approach. They urged the current registrar, Professor Yahuza Imam, to rectify the situation and demonstrate his capabilities as a pragmatic and disciplined administrator. “We are confident in Professor Yahuza Imam’s ability to turn things around and position NBAIS on a competitive pedestal,” they said. “His leadership style is a departure from the past, and we expect significant improvements in the future.”

In contrast, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) achieved a notable feat by ranking 8th out of 514 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the index. This accomplishment underscores the exceptional leadership of Arch Sunny Echono, Executive Secretary of TETFund.

The top performers in the index are the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) with a score of 77.92%, ranking 1st, the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) was ranked 2nd with 71.53%, the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) which scored 60.17%, was ranked 3rd, while the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) was ranked 4th, with 44.93%.

According to the report presented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, TETFund scored 34.64% to secure the 8th position. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) secured the 7th position with a score of 37.24%, while the Bank of Industry (BOI) and the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) scored 39.43% and 37.98% to clinch the 5th and 6th positions respectively.

The study, conducted by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) and the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI), aims to promote transparency and accountability across public institutions. Notably, NOSDRA and NIPC outperformed Nigeria’s leading anti-corruption agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which ranked 19th and 337th, respectively.

Speaking at the presentation, the Executive Director of CeFTPI, Dr Umar Yakubu explained that the TII is geared towards assessing the openness and transparency of public institutions. “Public institutions are statutorily mandated to publicize diverse classes of information regarding their activities, in line with the applicable legal framework guiding their operations.”

Further analysis revealed that a total of 151 institutions representing 195 of the total institutions assessed scored between 8.00 and 0.31 percent. These institutions include Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Auchi Polytechnic, Edo, Gurara Dam Management Agency, Ministry of Petroleum, National Defence College, National Hospital, National Industrial Court, National Mathematical Centre, Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, Voice of Nigeria, Office of the Head of the Civil Service, Federal Medical Centre, and the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, among others.

Meanwhile, the 26 institutions that did not conform to the variables used in assessing their institutions included – Ministry of Mines and Power, FCE Okene, National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS), Federal College of Forestry and Mechanization, Afaka, Kaduna, Nigerian Coal Corporation, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, and Office of the Secretary General of the Federation.

In general, the report revealed a downward slide from the improvement in the performance of institutions in 2024 compared to 2023. With this development, NBAIS and other affected institutions must reassess their operations and strive for transparency and accountability. The ranking serves as a wake-up call for these institutions to rectify their shortcomings and work towards excellence.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *