Posted by By MAURICE ARCHIBONG on
The Presidency has directed five directors of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) sent on forced leave by office of the Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation since November last year to return to work, Sunday Sun can authoritatively reveal.
The Presidency has directed five directors of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) sent on forced leave by office of the Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation since November last year to return to work, Sunday Sun can authoritatively reveal.
The affected officials are Dr. Joseph Eboreime, Director General, Mr. Mayo Adediran, Dr. Seyi Hambolu, Mr. O. O. Oke, and O. A. Alasan, Director of Museum, Director of Research, Planning and Publications, Director of Administration and Supplies and Director of Finance respectively.
It could be recalled that after the suspension of the Dr. Eboreime-led management of the NCMM, several panels of enquiry were set up but none of this committee's reports were published let alone implemented.
Instead of implementing recommendations of the probe panels, two different acting directors general, Mr. Iranola Akingun-Roberts and Mr. Ochi Achinivu were been appointed to hold fort. Against expectations, Mr. Akingun-Roberts recorded some positive strides during his seven-month tenure, but the fleeting tenure of Achinivu simply meant he had no time to prove his mettle.
The suspension of the technocrats had clouded efficiency and dampened morale among workers, even as anxiety held sway at virtually all outposts of the NCMM.
However, the recalled directors, who are likely to be back in office next week, resume to face issues that simply would not go away. They include allegations of complicity of museum top dogs in the reported disappearance of some 100 pieces of antiquities from National Museum Benin. Many years ago, an alleged misapplication or misappropriation of pension funds as well as recent detection of some 260 ghost workers that cost the Commission some N3 million monthly was also reported.