Benue Gov Sacks Teacher Service Board’s Boss For Assaulting Staff

Samuel Ortom

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has ordered with immediate effect the termination of appointment of the Executive Secretary of the Teachers Service Board (TSB), Mr James Pine, for embarrassing the state government.

The Acting Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Bem Meladu, made the announcement on Monday in Makurdi, as he added that the government was embarrassed by the actions of Pine who assaulted a staff member under him.

According to him, Pine abused power by using his office to terrorize the staff and also failed to resolve the matter amicably whilst in court.

The SSG regretted that the matter dragged on in court till he (Pine) was convicted by a court on charges of assault and criminal force.

He said that that very senior officials in government tried to arbitrate in the matter to no avail and lamented that the conviction was “very embarrassing to the government”.

“Gov Ortom has, therefore, directed the termination of his appointment because Pine’s conviction by the court was an embarrassment to the governor, the government and the people of the state.”

Pine, who was appointed by Ortom in 2015, was dragged to court by one of his subordinates, James Asema, on account of assault and criminal force.

The magistrate court had on Thursday last week found him culpable and sentenced him to five months imprisonment or an option of N10,000 fine.