….no money is missing-chairman revenue board uncovered
An investigation by our Correspondent Rabiu Omaku revealed that money to the tune of N154,000,000 belonging to the Nasarawa State University, Keffi which was wrongly logged into the account of Isa Mustapha Agwai ! Polytechnic, Lafia through the Central Billing System disappeared into pockets of few individuals in just three weeks of the transaction.
An insider said the amount which supposed to be in the account of NSUK was mistakenly logged to IMAPOLY but was used by high profile persons in the institution.
An official from the Nasarawa State Board of Internal Revenue said the sum of N154m was mainly for the University not Polytechnic with no single project to reconciled with the missing money.
It was gathered that the amount, according to a staff who pleaded anonymity attested that the money was logged into Polytechnic account due to faulty portal of the Central Billing System.
When asked whether the said amount has been recovered after the discovery by the BIRS as at press time,It confided that only the sum of N54, 000,000m was logged back to the original account remaining the balance of N100,000,000m which was said to be used for Information Communication Technology..
The Acting Rector, Ruth Jiriko whose six months appointment would elapse by August 13th,2020 when contacted on phone about the sum of N154m directed our reporter to contact the Special Adviser on Finance in the institution for more detail, a position that was not in existence in the Polytechnic.
It was gathered that out of the N154,000,000m only N54m was logged back to the Board of Internal Revenue three weeks after the transaction,
IMAPOLY three years after the dismissal of the management staff, The Rector, Dr. Silas Gyar, The Registrar, Labani Dio and the Bursar, Abdullahi Agyo by the then Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura over sharp practices involving the sum of N2bn, The Polytechnic sting as resource meant for the development of the institution went down into personal pockets.
Onlookers are attributing the unabated corruption ongoing in the backward institution whose resource as Internally Generated Revenue was shared amongst few top echelon staff while school has nothing to show for the huge amount of money generated since the inception of the school in year 2000 by Governor Abdullahi Adamu.
The only visible project in the school currently are all projects conceived by the Education Trust Fund which was the Library of the Polytechnic while all other projects including electrical gadgets,Television and Hilux van,ambulance,schools busses,the new administrative block and the ongoing massive building of classrooms are the hand work of the chairman Governing Council under the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.
The only project the Polytechnic can boost of was the former building inherited from Saint Augustine that the former management renovate and expand it as staff rooms but was resisted because there is no provision for toilets rather four to six staff are expected to share one toilet and this was resisted by the administration of the estwhile chairman of the Academic Staff Union,Paul Fatiye Useni.
From the N400m to N450m generated annually the institution succeeded in renovating SIWES centre, Some staff who pleaded anonymity attributed the hand in-glove of the past administration under Al-Makura to prosecute the affected management staff who are leaving comfortably with their loot as the reason why corruption persist in Isa Mustapha Agwai I Polytechnic,Lafia.
In spite of the effort by the chairman Governing Council, His Royal Highness, Alhaji. Mohammed Sani Bako !!! to get ride of the sharp practices corruption reign supreme as it was during the current Governing Council that a corrupt management staff was forgiven after diverting N3, 000,000m from the school coffers five months after his appointment
Other sources from the Polytechnic averred that a top management staff buttressed that the sum of N100m was expended on ICT,but keen observers are of the opinion that already the school has an ICT centre build and equipped by TETFUND.
As the institution is preparing to have a new crop of Rector and Registrar, The sky would be the starting point for the visitor of the school to appoints a vibrant and transparent Rector who would move the Polytechnic to an enviable height.
The question that indigents of Nasarawa State are asking that what happened to the recommendation of the viable and open investigative panel headed by the present commissioner of education, Hon. Fati Sabo ?,while onlookers described the whole exercise as an exercise in futility.
The recommendation of Fati Sabo’s report which recommended that the Rector, Bursar and the Registrar be dismiss and make refund of almost N2bn but today all remain tales by moonlight as the recalcitrants are moving freely.
Staff of the institution called on Governor Abdullahi Sule to appoints a quintessential and prudent Rector that would save the institution from the hands of gullible officials but not people with questionable characters that would derail the good work of the current administration.
Chairman Nasarawa State Board of Internal Revenue , Ahmed Yakubu in an exclusive interview has clear the air over rumor making round that money to the tune of N154m which was wrongly logged into the account of the Isa Mustapha Agwai I Polytechnic was not missing.
He stated this while reacting over the information coming from IMAPOLY ,He affirmed that the said amount emanated from the board under it Central Billing System which he said was meant to block leakages in revenue generation.
“Is true that money meant for the Nasarawa State University,Keffi was wrongly logged into the account of Isa Mustapha Agwai ! Polytechnic, Lafia, He confided that the amount is N154,000,000m not N158,000,000m as speculated”.
The chairman explained that an event has taken over the issue, saying arrangement has been concluded to refund the money to the right account.
“Is hardly for the board to miss a dine under the Central Billing System which he described as an effective and efficient way of blocking leakages in revenue generation.
Corrupt practices in the institution was also exhibited by former head of salary unit who it was learnt was a Diploma holder but allocated N1,000,000m to himself as his salary while some female staff were also involved in diversion of school fees belonging to over 61 students running into millions.
The State Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Abdulkarim Kana when contacted said the courts are waiting for the police to effect arrest and bring the affected persons to book, He in addition said the court would prosecute such persons according to their offences.
The chairman Governing Council, His Royal Highness, Alhaji.Mohammed Sani Bako could not be reached for comment.
Unconfirmed source from the Polytechnic unfolded that the Governing Council has screened and present three candidates for the exalted seat whom include the current Acting Rector, Ruth Jiriko who if given the position lacks the willpower to effect change if comparing the leadership style she exhibited.
It was learnt that Jiriko is a weak leader if going by her track records as a public servant within her six months the only and one achievement was calling for frequent Council meeting which gulped almost N6,000,000m as sitting allowances and the purchased of a new brand Toyota Camry which was also gulped N6,000,000m as some staff are of the opinion that that amount can settle the issue of backlog of implementation of promotions.
Onlookers are of the opinion that Dr. Dalhatu Jibrin Usmanis fit for job while comparing his anteccident as a former Librarian who resisted to be used by the dismissed Rector.
Only time shall tell.
