Lagos Assembly summons erring Tutor Generals/Permanent Secretaries

By Lanre Adesanya

Piqued by the untoward conduct of the six Tutor Generals and Permanent Secretaries of Education Districts in the state to appear before it,the Lagos state House of Assembly has summoned them to come and explain why they refused to honour several invitations for them to appear before the House Committee on Education.

The House decided to summon them at plenary after listening to the Chairman of the Education Committee, Hon. Lanre Ogunyemi, about series of invitation to them which were ignored.

Ogunyemi said the Tutor Generals/Permanent Secretaries have continued to treat the House with disdain, disrespect and disregard “by failing to appear before the committee after several invitations”, and that even during the budget defence they refused to show up but only sent their Directors.

All the lawmakers who reacted to Ogunyemi’s report condemned the attitude of the Tutor Generals/Permanent Secretaries wondering why people who are suppose to enforce discipline will display such indiscipline.

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They all agreed that their action amounted to disrespect for the House, and that they should be invited to explain why they should disregard and disrespect the House the House.

Hon. Segun Olulade said, “their action amounts to insurbodination, disrespect and disregard and can not be tolerated by this House. They should be invited to tell us why they should still remain in their positions with this type of misbehaviour.

Although the Deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Olumuyiwa Jimoh would have preferred instant sanctions against the senior teachers, he however said, “but on the principle of fair hearing we should invite them, but it is clear they deserve sanctions”.

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Also contributing to the debate, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa pointed out that the law of the House established the Office of Tutor General/Permanent Secretary “just to make them proud, so that not only the main civil service becomes Permanent Secretary, and for them  to feel that there is pride being a teacher and also spur them to do more. So it is important  to invite them to hear their reasons why they decided to ignore the committee of the House”, Obasa said.

He subsequently told the Clerk of the House to Invite the Tutor Generals and Permanent Secretaries to appear before the House on Thursday.