The House of Representatives Committee on University Education says it has uncovered financial discrepancies in the records of nine universities.
The affected institutions include Obafemi Awolowo University
(OAU), University of Ibadan (UI), Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA)
and the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
In a statement on Saturday, Abubakar Fulata, chairman of the
committee, said the development followed an oversight visit by the panel to
universities in the south-west.
Fulata said the committee identified instances of alleged
infractions and inconsistencies in documents relating to the income and
expenditure of the universities.
“In some cases, the documents submitted are contradicting
each other. You claimed to have generated N9 billion and spent N10 billion;
where did you get the N1 billion from?” the statement quoted him as saying.
“In another instance, you will see N12 billion generated as
income and only N8 billion spent without any information regarding the
whereabouts of the balance of N4 billion.”
Fulata said on-the-spot assessment visits to universities
and inter-university centres revealed the enormous challenges facing the
institutions, adding that a lack of transparency, efficiency and compliance
with the Appropriation Act would further compound the problems.
He said the committee directed Folasade Ogunsola, UNILAG
vice-chancellor, to submit the university’s budget records for 2024 to 2026 and
appear before it next week.
He added that Ogunsola was unavailable when the committee
visited the university, while her representatives were unable to explain the
N7.1 billion excess recorded in 2024 and 2025 or provide the necessary
information during an interface with the panel.
According to the statement, the committee also directed the
management of OAU, FUTA, Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE) and Federal
University of Health Sciences, Ila Orangun, Osun state, to update their records
and make comprehensive submissions on their 2024, 2025 and 2026 budget
implementation.
Other institutions visited include Adeyemi Federal
University of Education, Ondo; the Federal University of Agriculture and
Development Studies, Iragbiji; Federal University of Technology and
Environmental Studies, Iyin-Ekiti; and Nigeria French Language Village,
Badagry, Lagos State.
The committee chairman also urged the universities to uphold
the federal character principle in the recruitment of workers and admission of
students.
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