Kogi Education Commissioner Bags Integrity Icon of Nigeria (IION) Award.
An Anti-corruption NGO, the Centre for Ethics and Self Value Orientation (CESVO) has honoured Kogi State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Wemi Jones, FCIB, with a Gold Medal Award in Public Administration and with Integrity Icon of Nigeria (IION) Award in public conduct.
Speaking at the awards’ formal Investiture on Wednesday in Lokoja, the Executive Director of CESVO, Prince Salih Musa Yakubu, said the commissioner had over time proven himself worthy of the award and honour.
According to him, as an anti-corruption NGO, they don’t let their targetted subject of secret investigation have knowledge of their investigations on him/her neither do they give enough time to honour any identified or shortlisted candidates after their secret investigations.
He stressed that the commissioner was rewarded for being one of those making aggressive move to change the narrative of mis-governance and corruption in Nigeria.
He explained that for the past 16 months the NGO had dispersed 1500 whistle blowers across the States and FCT to conduct a multi sectoral independent secret assessment excercise including the 21 LGAs of Kogi State.
Yakubu added that they administered Questionnairs, conduct of opinion polls, interview sessions with informants, project sites visitation and budget tracking mechanism.
”In this process having no mercy in exposing corruption, promoting ethical leadership, providing ethical education and self value orientation of global citizens.
”As an anti-corruption non state actor, the largest single non state actors anti- corruption ngo in Nigeria and top 10 in Africa, we have extreme capacities to be able to detect who does what, where , how and when.
”In the course of this secret investigations, we have found only five (5) Ministries as the least corrupt and most ethically responsible in Kogi State 2020/2021 respectively.
He added that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology under Wemi Jones’ leadership took 2nd position in Kogi State having scored 76% cumulatively and thereby qualified to be enlisted amongst top 100 least corrupt state owned MDAS in Nigeria for 2021 respectively”, Yakubu said.
The executive director particular commended the Commissioner for the realisation of the Kogi State Education 2020 within 16 months in office, and the establishment of Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) Osara within the space of one year.
The NGO, therefore conferred a Gold Medal Award in Public Administration and as an Integrity Icon of Nigeria (IION) in public conduct.
The commissioner also received the Certificate of Credence on behalf of the ministry, being rated as second most ethical compliant in the state out of five ministries assessed for Institution Corporate Award.
The organisation also honoured the Permanent Secretary, Pastor Emmanuel Idenyi, and some directors in the ministry with Professional Ethics Compliance Award 2021 for being bureaucratically compliance.
In his response, the Commissioner described the recognition by CESVO for the award as a great honour to him and the ministry, while praising God for the privilege.
Jones thanked His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello, for giving him the opportunity to serve the good people of Kogi State, and for always giving him all the necessary support and backings towards the development of education in the state.
He further appreciated the permanent secretary and the management and staff of the ministry for their support and commitment to duty.
Jones noted that he usually avoid receiving awards and had turned down many in the past, but after due consultations he decided to accept the CESVO award considering their profile and antecedents.
He maintained that the outstanding achievements in the Education Sector was still a work in progress, assuring that many developmental projects in the sector were already on the pipeline.
He noted that the state government was constructing four GYB Model Science Secondary Schools, ongoing simultaneously across the three senatorial districts of the state.
He disclosed that before the end of year 2022, virtually all the Local Governments in the state would have had GYB Model Science Secondary School replicated in each area.
He said that the governor had graciously increased the budgetary allocation to education from 20% to 30% in the 2022 budget beyond the 26% UNESCO recommendation for education.
The commissioner stressed that the education sector would be witnessing more developmental projects in 2022.
He emphasised that the governor remained committed to his belief that education should never be politicised in all ramifications.
In his vote of thanks, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Pastor Emmanuel Idenyi, thanked the NGO for the honour, and encouraged them to continue the good work without compromise.
He assured the group of the commitment of the Commissioner and the entire management and staff of the ministry never to lower the attained standard but to continue to build on it.
”The awards and honours will definitely spur the Commissioner and the ministry to do more for the development of education in the state,” Idenyi said.
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