The Executive Secretary of National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, has said that the management has exercised absolute neutrality in the Institute’s promotion examination in the spirit of transparency.
The ÉS, who stated this during the 2012 Promotion Examination, explained that it informed the setting of the questions by external examiners, who will also grade papers.
He said: “Last year, the exam was in Nasarawa State University Keffi. This year, it in the Federal Civil Service Training Centre, Abuja. Next year, it can be in another place. The only thing that is permanent is change. Our job, as management, is to make sure that you write the exam under a conducive atmosphere, and then invigilate you. The examiners have set the questions; and after the invigilation, the examiners will take over and mark. That is why you are not supposed to write your name. You should write only your number and department. We want absolute neutrality.’’
Dr. Ayakoroma, who also called for a minute silence, in honour the victims of the ill-fated Dana Airline plane crash, where about 153 passengers died, said mishap affected NICO because a former Member of Board of the Institute, Mr. Sonny Ehioghae of NUC, Mr. Istifanus Mutihir, a Deputy Director in Central Bank, who was the husband of a NICO Staff, Mrs. Finti Mutihir, and Bishop Stamford Obrutse, uncle of Miss Emuobasa Nabofa, a Corps Member with NICO, were among the deceased.
One hundred and fifty-two (150) members of staff from Headquarters Abuja, Lagos Office, and the six Zonal Offices – South West (Akure), South-East (Owerri), South-South (Yenagoa), North-West (Katsina), North-East (Yola), and North Central (Ilorin), sat for the exam which took place at the Public Service Institute, Kubwa Express Road, Abuja. 
The ES, all the directors, SA to ES, and a representative from the Federal Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Mr. Anthony Ekpenyong, were present to invigilate the examination.
Nwagbo Nnenyelike
Corporate Affairs