*says it is not only for teachers, but for all Ministries, Departments, Agencies
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Chairman of the Oyo State Post-Primary Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), Pastor Akinade Alamu has disclosed that the ongoing data capturing of newly – recruited teachers in the state is not targeted at any religion.
The Oyo TESCOM Chairman in a reaction to allegation by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) on the data capturing exercise slated for this Monday and Tuesday on the grounds that the two days had been set aside for Eid-el-Kabir holiday, described the insinuation as ” misconceived and a clear misrepresentation of the state’s clear and noble intention”
Pastor Alamu pointed out that the ” exercise is not only for the Teaching Service Commission but for all Ministries, Departments and Agencies that conducted recruitment since the beginning of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde’s administration and a provision had been made for the rescheduling of the exercise so that all new employees would be captured”.
According to the TESCOM Chairman, the rescheduling of the data capturing was to be arranged by the Ministry of Finance and the MDAs, adding, ” one is, therefore, surprised to see that any group could insinuate that such an exercise, aimed at institutionalizing transparency, could be tagged as one meant to debar Muslims of the benefits of the national holiday.”
He declared that the data capturing exercise had been fixed long before the holiday was announced and that the exercise ” is an ongoing process which is not meant to punish anyone”.
” The exercise is aimed at further entrenching transparency and accountability in the recruitment procedures embarked upon by the state government so far. It is important to place on record that the ongoing screening exercise is not intended to deny our Muslim brothers and sisters the benefit of enjoying the Sallah break declared by the Federal Government”, he said.
Pastor Alamu added, ” the he whole exercise is aimed at strengthening the state’s adherence to transparency in the course of the recruitments undertaken so far. It is part of the state’s quest to affirm compliance of the state to transparency and accountability in the recruitment of staff across the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
“The exercise is an ongoing process that started last week and is meant to capture the data of the State Government staff recruited in the last two years into the database of the Ministry of Finance. It is in fulfillment of the national transparency initiative signed into by the State Government . We had originally designed that the exercise would hold all through the weekend but had to suspend the same on Saturday and Sunday in view of the Eid-Kabir celebrations.
