The House of Representatives committee on public
account has discovered monumental fraud running into several billions of Naira
going on in federal universities and other higher institutions through Internally
Generated Revenue [IGR], hence the committee is beaming its searchlight on all
the institutions of learning in the country.
The House committee Chairman on Public Accounts, Hon Solomon Adeola expressed displeasure about the startling revelations on the way and manner the universities vice chancellors spent their IGR with the annual budgetary provisions from the National Assembly.
The Chairman of the committee, who sent back six universities chancellors when they could not give proper account of their IGR, threatened that the committee would refer any vice chancellor found wanting to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for prosecution.
The Chairman wondered how serious fraudulent practices typical of the fuel subsidy scam could be happening in the ivory towers for a very long time without check, noting that these universities management spent their IGR without seeking approval from the National Assembly.
Hon Adeola declared that enough time would be devoted to all the institutions with a view to checking their documents. To this end, all the federal universities, polytechnic and other higher institutions and the National University Commission have been summoned to appear before the committee.
While reading the committee's riot act to those universities that have appeared before the committee, Hon Adeola explained that the committee would not hesitate to refer the case of any university that failed to account for their IGR, apart from giving them zero allocation in the 2013 budget.
He, however, warned that proper documentations required by the committee should be submitted to the secretariat of the committee before their appearances so that members of the committee could go through them.
While charging the vice chancellors of universities in Maiduguri and Nnsuka who have appeared go to back and perfect their documents, he maintained that the committee would visit the universities to ascertain their claims on the use of their internally generated revenue.
The lawmaker stated that the committee was aware of what the House committee on education was doing, but it is better to let Nigerians know that House committee on public account is the only committee recognised by the constitution to summon all the government ministries, agencies and parastatals with a view to checking their financial records in conjunction with the Auditor General of the Federation.
UNILAG gets new VC
Meanwhile, the Governing Council of the University, led by Deacon Gamaliel O. Onosode, OFR has approved the appointment of Professor Rahmon Ade Bello, as the 11th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, with effect from Saturday, November 10, 2012.
Professor Bello clinched the position after beating five other contestants at the interview.
Prof Bello succeeds the late Prof Adetokunbo Babatunde Sofoluwe who died on May 12, this year of heart attack he suffered at a meeting.
Bello, who has been acting in the capacity of the Vice Chancellor since the death of his predecessor, was born on October 6, 1948, in Iboro, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Professor Rahmon Adisa Bello attended Egbado College, Ilaro, Ogun State and Technical College, Ibadan, now The Polytechnic, Ibadan for his secondary and National Diploma Certificates respectively.
Professor Bello passed out of the Secondary School in 1966 with Grade One in his West African School Certificate Examination from Egbado College, Ogun State. He graduated with First Class Honours in Chemical Engineering (1974) from the University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State and subsequently, proceeded to the University of Waterloo, Canada, where he earned M.A.Sc. (1977) and PhD (1981) (Chemical Engineering).
The renowned scholar is a member of several professional bodies including Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers where he has served as Secretary to the Lagos Chapter (1986 – 1987), National Secretary (1988 – 1991) and Chairman of the Training Committee (1999 – date).
Professor Bello is married and blessed with four children.
The House committee Chairman on Public Accounts, Hon Solomon Adeola expressed displeasure about the startling revelations on the way and manner the universities vice chancellors spent their IGR with the annual budgetary provisions from the National Assembly.
The Chairman of the committee, who sent back six universities chancellors when they could not give proper account of their IGR, threatened that the committee would refer any vice chancellor found wanting to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for prosecution.
The Chairman wondered how serious fraudulent practices typical of the fuel subsidy scam could be happening in the ivory towers for a very long time without check, noting that these universities management spent their IGR without seeking approval from the National Assembly.
Hon Adeola declared that enough time would be devoted to all the institutions with a view to checking their documents. To this end, all the federal universities, polytechnic and other higher institutions and the National University Commission have been summoned to appear before the committee.
While reading the committee's riot act to those universities that have appeared before the committee, Hon Adeola explained that the committee would not hesitate to refer the case of any university that failed to account for their IGR, apart from giving them zero allocation in the 2013 budget.
He, however, warned that proper documentations required by the committee should be submitted to the secretariat of the committee before their appearances so that members of the committee could go through them.
While charging the vice chancellors of universities in Maiduguri and Nnsuka who have appeared go to back and perfect their documents, he maintained that the committee would visit the universities to ascertain their claims on the use of their internally generated revenue.
The lawmaker stated that the committee was aware of what the House committee on education was doing, but it is better to let Nigerians know that House committee on public account is the only committee recognised by the constitution to summon all the government ministries, agencies and parastatals with a view to checking their financial records in conjunction with the Auditor General of the Federation.
UNILAG gets new VC
Meanwhile, the Governing Council of the University, led by Deacon Gamaliel O. Onosode, OFR has approved the appointment of Professor Rahmon Ade Bello, as the 11th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, with effect from Saturday, November 10, 2012.
Professor Bello clinched the position after beating five other contestants at the interview.
Prof Bello succeeds the late Prof Adetokunbo Babatunde Sofoluwe who died on May 12, this year of heart attack he suffered at a meeting.
Bello, who has been acting in the capacity of the Vice Chancellor since the death of his predecessor, was born on October 6, 1948, in Iboro, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Professor Rahmon Adisa Bello attended Egbado College, Ilaro, Ogun State and Technical College, Ibadan, now The Polytechnic, Ibadan for his secondary and National Diploma Certificates respectively.
Professor Bello passed out of the Secondary School in 1966 with Grade One in his West African School Certificate Examination from Egbado College, Ogun State. He graduated with First Class Honours in Chemical Engineering (1974) from the University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State and subsequently, proceeded to the University of Waterloo, Canada, where he earned M.A.Sc. (1977) and PhD (1981) (Chemical Engineering).
The renowned scholar is a member of several professional bodies including Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers where he has served as Secretary to the Lagos Chapter (1986 – 1987), National Secretary (1988 – 1991) and Chairman of the Training Committee (1999 – date).
Professor Bello is married and blessed with four children.
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