Institute Of Science Board Calls For DG Sack Over Age Falsification

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines Thursday, August 6th, 2015

From Agabus Pwanagba, Jos – The Director General of Nigeria Institute of Science Laboratory Technology (NISLT), Dr. Ijagbone Ighadolo Folorunso has been accused of falsification of age, forgery and corruption by staffers of the Institute.

The age falsification accusation was allegedly meant to enable him prolong his tenure in office.

The petitioners who demanded immediate removal of Dr, Folorunso are board members of the NISLT representing North Central Geo-Political zone. They included Messrs Nathaniel Ufaruna and Danjuma Kumbak.

In the petition addressed to the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Abuja and made available to AFRICAN EXAMINER Thursday, in Jos the Plateau State capital, revealed that Dr. Folorunso has been appointed the Registrar/Director General of the Institute since 1994 and has since remained on the same position till date, due to age falsification.

They alleged that as at 1994 when Folorunso became the Acting Registrar/Director General of the Institute, he declared he was born in 1952, but later forged his own documents to present a new date of birth of 1956.

The Board members maintained that the accused is currently holding two full time employments as Director General of the institute and as a Senior Lecturer with the University of Ibadan.

They also alleged that according to the curriculum vitae submitted by the accused, he started work in 1970 at the age of 14 which means he has served the country for 45 years and has not been retired.

The petition reads, “That Dr. Ijagbone has remained the DG of the institute for a period of 21 years in abuse of the provisions of civil service rule.

The complainants have therefore declared that Dr. Ijagbone is no longer competent to remain in the office he currently occupies, therefore be removed without delay, contending that all available records showed that Dr. Ijagbone should have retired by 2005 even with the falsified age.

According to one of the petitioners, who is a Laboratory Scientist from University of Jos (UNIJOS), Danjuma Kumbak, “The DG has been frustrating all efforts by the Board to move the Secretariat of the Institute from Ibadan to Abuja.

Reacting to the allegations in a telephone interview, Dr. Folorunso said, the accusations were lies compiled by those who were envious of his office and wanted him out at all cost.

He said, “This is cheap blackmail aimed at tarnishing my hard earned reputation, the petitioners only want to occupy my office and I will advise them to wait patiently till March, 2016, when my tenure will expire.

AFRICAN EXAMINER correspondent gathered that the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) has already waded into the matter and has launched investigations to verify the accusation.

“Such corrupt public officials should not be allowed to exist in Nigeria any longer”. Kumbak stressed.