By ODEYA OGBETUO
The Delta Concerned Stakeholders have urged the Delta State Government to constitute an investigative panel to probe the missing property of the Institute of Continuing Education Warri Centre during the movement of the School from its Okere Road premises to Cavegina Primary School Warri, Delta State.
The group in a statement made available to newsmen in Warri alleged that during the movement a lot of items belonging to the school such as a 100KVA diesel generator and other valuable items were stolen which the Zonal Head and others could not account for.
The Delta Concerned stakeholders noted that in 2015, the I.C.E Warri premises were handed over to the Baptist Mission by the outgoing governor of Delta State which was challenged at the court but though, they lost but, the matter has not been foreclosed, adding that the stealing of the above items during the movement must be accounted for.
The Group stated that they are aware of a petition written against the unauthorized removal and disposal of the I.C.E properties in Warri Zonal Office which prompted the Director and Chairman of the Governing Board of I.C.E to constitute a team which visited Warri and their facts finding confirmed that some items belonging to the Institute were stolen and subsequently invited the suspects and witnesses to Asaba to throw more light on the allegations.
The Group stated that the information reaching the stakeholders revealed that the Zonal Head of the I.C.E Warri is piling up unbearable pressure on the management of I.C.E such that the Director and Chairman of the Governing Council are buckling on the weight of the pressure and are now prepared to sweep the glaring case of stealing of public property under the care and protection of the Zonal Head of the I.C.E Warri under the carpet.
According to the Group “The law is that where a misconduct or improper behaviour of an employee also amounts to a crime, the employer cannot treat the issue as one of internal discipline for the staff involved. The employer must turn over the suspected employee to the police for full investigation of the alleged crime and possible prosecution in the court of competent jurisdiction where the suspected employee may be convicted or discharged and acquitted.”
The Group re-emphasized that “It should be made known to the Management of I.C.E that they have no power to discipline the Zonal Head of I.C.E Warri and her cohorts who are suspected of committing the crime of stealing without first reporting the matter to the police who will fully investigate and possibly prosecute them” they added.
The Group called on appropriate government officials, especially the Commissioner for Basic Education, Commissioner of Police, the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice and the Secretary to the State Government to call on the Director of I.C.E and the Chairman of the Governing Council to respect due process and rule of law and that public official who are alleged to steal or misappropriate public property are not treated with kid gloves, I.C.E Warri is public property which must be protected.
This reporter on fact finding visited I.C.E premises at Cavegina Primary School, Warri and spoke with the Zonal Head of I.C.E Warri, Mrs. Cynthia Kena Odeimor who said she was under authority and she had to seek clarification.
She pulled a call across to the Director of I.C.E in Asaba who said as a civil servant, she has no power to speak on behalf of I.C.E.
