GANTA, Nimba – The suspended County Education Officer of Nimba, Wleh T. Selah, will be reinstated in a different role after being cleared of payroll fraud.

Last year, the Ministry of Education began issuing biometric identification cards to its employees to reduce fraud and ensure that teachers and other ministry workers were reporting for duty.

A Ministry of Education poster explaining the new biometric system.

In Nimba, the exercise was conducted in four separate locations including Ganta, Sanniquellie, Saclepea, and Tappita.

Following the completion of the biometric process in Nimba, it was alleged that Selah had placed names of family members and friends, including his wife, on the Ministry’s payroll, diverting those funds for his personal use.

In addition to the allegation of payroll fraud, Selah was also said to have a poor working relationship with his subordinates.

But according to George S. Wuo, the regional educational officer of region two (which comprises Lofa, Nimba, Bong, Grand Bassa and River Cess counties), the suspended CEO has been cleared of all allegations.

Regional Education Officer George Wuo. Photo: Jefferson Krua

Wuo said Selah was cleared of the allegations levied against him by an independent investigation committee established by the Ministry to look into the matter.

He made the disclosure when he appeared as the studio guest on the Voice of Gompa evening talk show, The Forum, on Tuesday night.

“The result of the investigation shows that Mr. Selah was not liable for some of the allegations levy against him,” Wuo said. “He was cleared of those allegations. The only thing that was stated in that document was that his working relationships with his colleagues were not good at all.”

Wuo noted that the bad or poor working relationship exhibited during Selah’s tenure negatively impacted the county’s educational sector. “As a result, they did not achieve anything,” Wuo added.

Although the Ministry decided to reinstate Selah into its employment, Wuo said Selah would not return to Nimba, but would rather be sent to another county or at the Ministry of Education’s headquarters in Monrovia.