In the Genesis: N300m fraud: Aggrieved FUNAAB workers drag Pro-Chancellor, V-C to Buhari
…Petition leads to suspension of three SSANU members
THE reasons why three senior workers of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) in Ogun State were recently suspended by the management of the university have emerged.
The aggrieved trio of Mr. A.O. Salaam (Department of College of Biological Science), Mr. O. P. Somoye (Department of Agricultural Media Resources and Extension Centre), and Mr. F.A Bankole (Directorate of Environmental Management Unit), were suspended by the management of the university for writing a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Investigation revealed that in addition, Salaam, Somoye and Bankole were asked to vacate and distance themselves from the university, for the time being, over their allegation of corruption levelled against the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olusola Oyewole, and Pro-Chancellor, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe.
Similarly, the workers incurred the wrath of the management for daring to bring the fraud allegation to the attention of the anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, for investigation.
However, after receiving the petition, the anti-graft agency summoned Oyewole and the Bursar, Mr. Moses Ilesanmi, for interrogation, the development which angered the Vice-Chancellor.
The university accused the three officers of acts prejudicial to the smooth running and governance of the institution.
Their suspension and placement on half salary till further notice was contained in their separate letters signed by the Registrar, Mr. M.O Ayoola, and dated August 22, 2016.
The order asking the officers to vacate the academic campus, was allegedly on the directive of Oyewole, who was alleged to have been peeved by the petition that led to his invitation and Ilesanmi by the EFCC officials who grilled the duo for several hours.
The letter reads: “The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olusola Bandele Oyewole, has been reliably informed of your meddlesomeness and with confirmatory evidence of your participation in some acts prejudicial to the smooth running and governance of the university.”
“He has therefore directed that you be placed on suspension until the matter is thoroughly investigated. Consequently, on the above and by the provision of Federal University of Agriculture Act 1992 number 48 of 2nd November,1992, section 17 subsection (2) you are hereby suspended from duty with immediate effect on half pay,” the letter with reference number FUNAAB/REG.184/VOL.II/16/413 declared.
The letter ordered the three officers to keep off the university campus throughout the suspension period and must handover all university properties in their possession to their immediate supervisors before leaving their posts.
It said: “You are to handover all university properties in your possession to your immediate supervisor. Please ensure that you keep off the university throughout the suspension.”
The workers, in their petition, told Buhari series of fraud and infractions allegedly perpetrated by Oyewole and Ogunlewe.
“Within the last four years, the University has been patently defrauded by the Pro-Chancellor, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe in concert with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor O.B Oyewole, to the tune of about Three Hundred Million Naira (N300,000,000) of scarce and ill-affordable fund, at a very austere time,” the peeved workers said.
After explaining details of their myriad of allegations, they further said: “From the aforementioned, the unimaginable degree of rot and indiscipline that is thriving in the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, FUNAAB, is a function of gross incompetence of the Pro-Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor coupled with their insatiable appetite for corrupt practices which is taking its toll on teaching, research and infrastructural development of the University.
“The once beautiful and promising FUNAAB has been turned into a shadow of itself, with palpable fear, confusion and uncertainty enveloping the entire campus.”
They also told Buhari: “In the interest of tax-paying citizens and the teaming youth population of this country who deserve qualitative and functional education, the Visitor to the University, President Muhammadu Buhari, is hereby humbly appealed to invoke the relevant provisions of the University Miscellaneous Amendment Act 2007, Section 2 (i) “The Council so constituted, shall have tenure of four years from the date of its inauguration provided that where a Council is found to be incompetent and corrupt, it shall be dissolved by the Visitor and a New Council shall be immediately constituted for the effective functioning of the University.”
They stressed: “Our discoveries are not to the effect that all members of the Council are incompetent and corrupt. However, there is a famous African saying that “the fish rots from the head.”
“There is no doubt that even if some members of Council and Management are saints, having a corrupt Chairman of Council and Vice-Chancellor, the Chief Executive Officer of the University, would determine the outcome and effect of the Council on the University,” they claimed.
They also maintained: “We therefore appeal that the needful be done to stem the tide of flagrant corruption and incompetence which the Pro-Chancellor, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe as well as the Vice-Chancellor, Professor O.B Oyewole, represent.
“This appeal is made in the overall public good and to protect the University from total breakdown and further slide in academic standard and productivity. We have made the above disclosures as concerned free born citizens of Nigeria and as stakeholders in the educational sector.”
“We have no doubt in our minds that the above submissions would be given the true and proper consideration it deserves,” Salaam, Somoye and Bankole said.
Please read below details of their petition to the President:
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ++****** ********
Concerned Stakeholders,
Federal University of Agriculture,
Abeokuta.
19th July 2016
His Excellency,
The President,
Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Aso Rock Villa
Abuja
Dear Sir,
UNBRIDLED CORRUPTION AND BETRAYAL OF PUBLIC TRUST BY THE PRO- CHANCELLOR, SENATOR ADESEYE OGUNLEWE AND VICE-CHANCELLOR, PROFESSOR OLUSOLA OYEWOLE OF FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, ABEOKUTA: AN APPEAL FOR URGENT INTERVENTION
We are encouraged to formally convey the varying degrees of abuse of office, maladministration, corrupt practices and gross incompetence against the Pro-Chancellor, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole, of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, (FUNAAB), by the obvious determination and sincerity of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle corruption in all facets of our national life and ensure that public funds are judiciously and properly utilized. We are also convinced beyond reasonable doubt by the actions and various policy statements of the Honorable Minister of Education in ensuring transparency and judicious utilization of resources in our educational system.
In view of the dwindling earnings of government in recent times, and the determination of the current administration to block all leakages and ensure transparency, we want to implore the government to turn its search-light into the nation’s “Ivory Tower”. Sadly, the Ivory Tower of yester years is no more the same, today. Our Universities today are breeding grounds for all manners of impunity and unimaginable atrocities. It is not surprising therefore, that even with the enhanced level of funding to the University system, no Nigerian University could make first one thousand in global university rankings.
Using the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, (FUNAAB) as case-study, one would be amazed at the high level of corruption, moral decadence and sleaze in our University system.
Consequently, we have decided to bring to the attention of government, the massive degree of corruption and abuse of office by the Pro-Chancellor, Senator (Dr) Adeseye Ogunlewe and the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole, of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, as our own patriotic contribution to the Government’s anti-corruption crusade and efforts at making our country great again.
With facts available at our disposal, the Pro-Chancellor, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe can be described as corruption personified, going by the degree of corruption that he has perpetrated in connivance with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor O. B. Oyewole. Their actions have robbed the University of funds that would have been used for the growth and development of the system. Senator Ogunlewe’s poor leadership and incompetence has plunged the University into crisis and state of anarchy with attendant low morale of staff, declining productivity and fast sliding rating of the University both nationally and internationally. The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Senator (Dr) Adeseye Ogunlewe is morally bankrupt and despirate when it comes to hustling for private financial gain. He has an untamable urge and vociferous confrontation in the deployment of his assumed sole authority as Chairman of Council to bulldoze University management to submit to his unethical and illegal demands for monetary gain.
Listed below, are the observed areas of concern; administrative incompetence, financial recklessness, abuse of office, and impropriety as evident at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta:
DEGRADATION OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND RANKING
Prior to the appointment of the current Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olusola Oyewole, FUNAAB was rated second in Nigeria and 35th in Africa (See attachment 1). Today, FUNAAB is not listed among the first ten in the country and is nowhere on the African ranking of Universities. The gross incompetence of the Pro-Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor, has cost FUNAAB, a once promising University, its pride of place.
SUPPRESSION OF REPORTS OF STAFF INVESTIGATION PANELS AND PROMOTION OF INDISCIPLINE
The Vice-Chancellor has used his position to suppress many reports of staff investigation panels, resulting in high degree of indiscipline such as theft and other forms of criminality on campus. Staff that were sanctioned by the previous administration for near criminal offences, were pardoned by the Vice-Chancellor despite the notorious financial impropriety of the individuals. A special case in point is the case of a notorious serial offender, Mr. M.A.O. Adeyemo, who despite being dismissed for fraud by the previous administration, was recalled by the Vice-Chancellor (see Attachment 2) and even being empowered to contest a Congregation seat on the University Governing Council.
Another example is the case of Engineer O. B. Olukoya, which amounts to criminal compromise and cover-up. The staff, having been found culpable of over-invoicing, abuse of office, and betrayal of public trust, still walks about on campus without let or hindrance. The inability of the Vice-Chancellor to enforce discipline in the case of Engineer Olukoya may not be unconnected with many shady deals between him and the Vice-Chancellor which include deploying University apparatus in carrying out unethical engineering works at the Vice-Chancellor’s personally founded and owned church, Divine Heights Bible Church. The Honorable Minister may wish to request for a copy of the Recommendations on the “REPORT OF THE PANEL OF ENQIRY ON ALLEGATION OF CORRUPTION INVOLVING SOME STAFF IN THE DIRECTORATE OF WORKS AND SERVICES” of December, 2015.
FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF EXTANT LAWS AND REGULATIONS ON PROCUREMENT
Staffing and Deployment:
In defiance of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) Policy guidelines, on Staffing of procurement unit of Public Institutions, (See attachment 3) the Vice-Chancellor has refused to staff the Unit with competent people so as to compromise due process and perpetrate fraud for personal gain. Despite the fact that there are on ground, University staff trained with University funds for this specific responsibility, an untrained and unqualified staff, Mrs. F.T Aroyeun, was posted to the procurement Unit, as its head. Little wonder, the Bureau of Public Procurement recently nullified four contracts awarded by the University, with attendant loss of scarce resources and dent on the University credibility.
Contract Splitting, Granting of Approvals beyond Threshold, without Due-Process
Apart from the instances cited above, evidences abound where the Vice- Chancellor gave approvals for release of funds beyond his approving threshold in contravention of Financial Regulations and the Public Procurement Act 2007. These contracts were split and approved without going through the process of Tenders and other Due procedures. A few examples are cited below:
S. No Name of Beneficiary Amount Purpose
1.Prof. J. K. Adewunmi N7 Million Rehabilitation of Roads and Drainages
2.Prof. J. K. Adewunmi N3 Million Rehabilitation of Roads and Drainages
3.Works and Services N5.2Million Payment for installation of Air-conditioner and Generator
4.Physical Planning N8 Million Construction of Bathrooms at FUNAAB Int. School
5.IFSERAR N5.6Million Construction of Kalahari Goat Pens Farm
6.ICTREC N3 Million Relocation of ICTREC to present location
(See Attachments 4)
ABUSE OF OFFICE, NEPOTISM AND CORRUPT PRACTICES IN STAFF APPOINTMENTS
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olusola Oyewole, in gross violation of the ICPC Act, Section 22, employed his biological son, Mr. O.J. Oyewole as an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Economics of the University. Using the office of the Vice-Chancellor, he further employed his son-in-law as a Planning Officer II in the Directorate of Academic Planning. Following complaints and their reactions to the employment of his relatives (children) into the University, the Vice-Chancellor, in a bid to appease his Deputies, further employed the wife of his then Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Mrs. F. M. Waheed as an Engineer II (Mechanical Engineering), and the son-in-law and daughter of the then Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development) Prof. F. K. Salako; Mr. O. O. Oduyemi and Mrs. D. O. Oduyemi as Administrative Officers in the University (See attachment 5).
These appointments are in gross violation and contravention of the “Corrupt Practice and Other Related Offences Act, (2003) Act No 6 (22), which is quoted inter-alia-
“Any public officer who uses his office or position to gratify or confer any corrupt or unfair advantage upon himself or any relation or associate of the public officer or any other public officer, is guilty of an offence and on conviction be liable to imprisonment for five years without option of fine”.
BETRAYAL OF PUBLIC TRUST AND ABUSE OF PRIVILEGE
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole, abused his office by compelling the former Director of ICT Resources Centre, Dr. F.A. Oguntoye, to use University manpower, resources and time to install CCTV facilities and equipment at his church, Divine Heights Bible Church, Abeokuta. Following the relunctance of Dr. Oguntoye to provide further unusual, unethical and unofficial services to the Vice-Chancellor and his church, the Vice-Chancellor reacted by denying him a renewal of term as Director ICT services, ultimately leading to the termination of his appointment with the University. Dr. Oguntoye is now the Director of ICT Services at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye.
This same was the case with Mr. B. A. Ayodele, former Director, Physical Planning. The refusal of Mr. Ayodele to provide unofficial construction services at the Vice-Chancellor’s Church, Divine Heights Church, led to the denial of his renewal of appointment as Director, Physical Planning with the Vice-Chancellor hinging the decision on Mr. Ayodele’s “not aligning himself with the vision of the current administration” (See attachment 6).
We seek to ask, where is the place of not aligning with the vision of the Vice-Chancellor, a gross misconduct punishable in the University Rules and Regulations?
It is on record that till date, the ICT Resources Centre and the University’s Physical Planning Unit have not recovered from the loss of these hardworking, innovative and productive personnel. The ICT services in the University have become epileptic, internet services almost non-existent, while since the termination of Mr. Ayodele’s appointment as Director, Physical Planning, there has been no commissioning of any tangible physical projects in the University.
Till date, every Sunday, University security personnel are deployed to the Vice-Chancellor’s church, Divine Heights Bible Church, while the Vice-Chancellor’s private hostel is also secured by University security officers, placed on shift duty. This is a clear case of gross abuse of office.
It is rather ironic that despite using official privileges for personal gain, Professor Oyewole could orchestrate the suspension of Engineer Omolola Banjo, Director of Works and Services, allegedly for using University personnel for personal purposes.
The Vice-Chancellor operates and runs a private Nursery and Primary school (Divine Heights Nursery and Primary School) at Goshen Estate, Asero, Abeokuta, an action which amounts to divided loyalty in contravention of Public Service Regulations and Code of Conduct for Public Officers. The resultant effect is that the University Staff School and International School have suffered neglect and deprivation of funds to reduce their competitiveness with his privately owned school.
INCOMPETENCE AND CLUELESSNESS LEADING TO NEEDLESS LITIGATIONS
Arising from the gross incompetence and cluelessness of the Pro-Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor, the University has been dragged into needless litigations as a result of wrongful dismissal of staff: (Dr. (Mrs) O. O. Bamgbose (Associate Professor), Mr. B. A. Ayodele (Director Physical Planning), Dr. Ososanya (a Principal Medical Officer) among others, and lack of due diligence in contract agreements which has cost the University colossal waste of scarce resources to the tune of over One Hundred Million Naira in legal fees.
Citing the specific case of Dr. Ososanya, a Principal Medical Officer at the University Health Centre, the University lost the case while the plaintiff was awarded over Three million Naira (N3,000,000) in damages and over Ten million Naira (N10,000,000) spent on legal charges on a needless exercise on account of ego contest.
The amount expended on litigation by this administration alone within the last four years, is more than the cumulative total amount spent by the five previous regimes before it.
DECLINING ENROLMENT OF POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS AND POOR ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP
It is no gainsaying that academic standards under the leadership of Professor O.B. Oyewole have nosedived astronomically. This is accentuated by the obvious decline in the University’s postgraduate enrolment, resultant of the continuous neglect and lack-lustre service provision to the clientele of the programme. Unfortunately, the Vice-Chancellor has been flat-footed in checking cases of decadence, indiscipline, moonlighting and divided interests exhibited by some academic staff members, with negative consequences on quality academic dispensation.
The Vice-Chancellor has incompetently surrendered his leadership authority to the whims and caprices of the University’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), with its executive members becoming highly loquacious, brigand and intrusively overstepping bounds and mandates. The present situation in the University is more of a case of a rudderless leadership, capable of snowballing into major crisis if not timely checked (See attachment 7).
COLLECTION OF ILLEGAL ALLOWANCES BY THE VICE-CHANCELLOR
Professor Olusola Oyewole criminally obtained a unilateral approval from the Pro-Chancellor without recourse to the Governing Council for ratification. An illegal increase in monthly allowance to N480,000 by the Vice-Chancellor, using an “arrangee” request initiated by the then Director, Internal Audit, Mrs. F.T. Aroyeun vide her internal memo ref FUNAAB/AUD/VC/II/I dated February 27, 2014. The Registrar, Mr. Matthew Ayoola, was made to rewrite the approved request initiated by Mrs. F.T. Aroyeun when the Bursar, Mr. Moses Ilesanmi, did not recognize it. The Registrar’s letter ref. FUNAAB/REG.190/VOL.1/14/142 dated February 28, 2014 was approved by the Pro-Chancellor, Senator (Dr) Ogunlewe same day (February 28, 2014) with effective date backdated to May, 24, 2012 to pave way for negotiated robust kick-back for the Pro-Chancellor. When this “arrange” request was not honoured by the Bursar, Mr. Moses Ilesanmi, again for the second time, the Registrar, M. O. Ayoola was made to write another letter ref. FUNAAB/REG/190/VOL.1/14/143 dated March 5, 2014 which was signed the 3rd time by Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Senator A. K. Ogunlewe, same day with the effective date back-dated to May 24, 2012. The “Kangaroo” arrangement led to the payment of the sum of Seventeen Million, Nine Hundred and Ten Thousand, Two Hundred and Forty Naira Eighty-eight kobo (N17,910,240.88) to the Vice-Chancellor Prof. O. B. Oyewole vide Bursary mandate No. SM/NR/66/14 of March 7, 2014 as the first tranche and N480,000 monthly, thereafter. (See attachment 8).
What constitutes the remuneration of Chief Executive of tertiary educational Institutions is clearly stated in the“Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances)” Act of 2002 (as amended in 2008), (See attachment 9). In violation of this Act, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olusola Oyewole had collected illegally, the sum of N23,040,000 over and above approved remuneration with the connivance of the Council Chairman, Senate (Dr) Adeseye K. Ogunlewe.
The attached evidences as explained earlier, point to the recklessness of the Council Chairman, wasting the lean resources of the University by approving additional remuneration for the Vice-Chancellor without minding due process and contrary to the provision of Salaries & Wages Act 2002, (as amended in 2008) which do not allow or authorize any Council to add or create other items of remuneration for Vice-Chancellors above the approved remuneration as contained in the enhanced Political Office Holders Remuneration Provision.
VIOLATION OF EXTANT LAWS IN RESPECT OF FURNITURE ALLOWANCE
Furniture Allowance is provided for Chief Executive Officers in the “Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances)” Act of 2002 (as amended in 2008) at the rate of 300% of the Officer’s basic salary and payable once in four years, amounting to a sum of N5,777,595 or N481,466.25 per annum for Public Officers who are not living in Government furnished apartments.
The provision of this Act has been grossly violated by Prof. Olusola Oyewole by collecting the furniture allowance yearly instead of ONCE in four years. In actual fact, he is NOT entitled to this allowance having enjoyed a well and fully furnished official quarter. By this fraudulent action of the Vice-Chancellor, the University has been defrauded of a whopping sum of Twenty Three Million, One Hundred and Ten Thousand, Three Hundred and Eighty Naira (N23,110,380) (See Attachment 10).
FRAUDULENT COLLECTION OF RENT/ACCOMMODATION ALLOWANCE WHILE LIVING IN GOVERNMENT QUARTERS
The remuneration Act; “Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances)” Act of 2002 (as amended in 2008), made provision for the payment of Rent/Accommodation Allowance to the Vice-Chancellor at a rate of N3,581,730 per annum or N320,977.50 per month, “where no accommodation is provided for such Chief Executive”. The National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) position and advise on the Rent Allowance is that where an officer is occupying the establishment’s residential quarters, such officer should be charged Rent as may be determined by such establishment.
However, in violation of this directive and advice, the Vice-Chancellor who lives in palatial University Residential Quarters, fully furnished and maintained by the University without paying a kobo, continues to receive Rent Allowance (See attachment 11).
IMMORALLY SHARING OF UNIVERSITY FUNDS IN THE NAME OF ALLOWANCES TO COUNCIL MEMBERS
The Governing Council of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, under the superintendence of Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, turned the University finances to war booty, to be shared and plundered among themselves without consideration for the well-being of the University and its lean financial situation.
Illegal allowances as tabulated below were approved for members of Governing Council (with the exception of the University Bursar and Librarian, who are non statutory members of Council, but are to observe all Council deliberations in attendance).
Table of illegal allowances approved for Council members (See attachment 12)
S/N Marriage of Children Amount Approved
1.Pro-Chancellor N3.0M
2.Vice-Chancellor N2.5M
3.Deputy Vice-Chancellor N1.5M
4.Members of Council N1.0M
Burial of Biological Parents Amount Approved
5.Pro-Chancellor N2.0M
6.Vice-Chancellor N1.5M
7.Deputy Vice-Chancellor N1.0M
8.Members of Council N500,000
List of Beneficiaries / Number of occasions
S/NName No. of times Position Amount collected on Wedding Amount Collected on Burial Total Collected to Date
1.Senator Ogunlewe 2 Pro-Chancellor 6,000,000 6,000,000
2.Prof. O.B. Oyewole 2 Vice- Chancellor 5,000,000 5,000,000
3.Prof. (Mrs.) Yemisi Eromosele 1 Deputy Vice- Chancellor 1,500,000 1,500,000
4.Prof. F.K. Salako 1 Deputy Vice- Chancellor 1,500,000 1,500,000
5.Prof. C.O.N. Ikeobi 1 Council Member 500,000 500,000
6.Prof. O. S. Sowande 1 Council Member 500,000 500,000
7.Dr. Olusola Akinwande 2 Council Member 1,000,000 500,000 1,500,000
Grand Total16,500,000
UNETHICAL DEMANDS OF 10% KICK-BACK FROM CONTRACTORS
There was a directive to compel contractors to cough out 10% from their contract sum. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olusola Oyewole, directed the former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development), Prof. F. K. Salako, to coordinate this exercise.
Whilst most contractors paid as demanded, a particular contractor, JASMA declined. A sum of N6.4M was collected on the first occasion and shared among some Council members, through the Pro-Chancellor. The Acting Head, Directorate of Physical Planning, Arch. Babatunde Anasanwo, was responsible for collecting the money and delivering same to the Pro-Chancellor at his Lodge, regularly.
STEALING BY TRICK ACTION OF SENATOR ADESEYE OGUNLEWE
The Pro-Chancellor, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, had promised the University at his maiden meeting with the Community that he would explore all avenues as a senior and influential member of the then ruling party (PDP) to use his connections to get funds from Government for the University. On the basis of this promise, he demanded from the Vice-Chancellor an advance, to enable him travel and source funds from his contacts in government.
With the pressure to siphon public fund, from the Pro-Chancellor, Senator Ogunlewe, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. O. B. Oyewole had to personally instruct the Bursar, Mr. M.O. Ilesanmi on how to couch the unethical payment to be made to the Pro-Chancellor. Such payments were code named “Payment for mobilization and logistics for Council Assignment” as per the attached Vice-Chancellor’s hand written instruction to the Bursar (See attachment 13).
Consequently, a sum of N3,500,000 was paid vide mandate OHM/R/367 of May 7, 2013. (See attachment 14).
Till date, no retirement has been made on the said amount while there has been no evidence of the outcome or effect of the “connections” or “influence” on the University.
CRIMINAL PLACEMENT OF STAFF ALLOWANCES IN FIXED DEPOSIT ACCOUNT
The Earned Allowance Grant of Eight Hundred and Forty Two Million, Eight Hundred and Forty Nine Thousand, Eight Hundred and Ninety Five Naira (N842,849,895) released to the University for payment to staff as a result of the FGN/Unions agreements of 2009 was criminally ordered by the Pro- Chancellor, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, to be placed in fixed deposit account for the purpose of yielding interest (See Attachment 15) to cater for some Council members through the Pro-Chancellor.
The interest generated was released by cash payment to the Pro-Chancellor, Senator Ogunlewe through Prof. F. Sowemimo, using the Institute of Human Resources Development as conduit. The payment mandates raised for withdrawal were OHM/R/974/13 of December 4, 2013 for N1.5million and GTB/SF/ R/240/14 of March 7, 2014 for N1.75 million (See Attachment 16).
NON COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S TREASURY SINGLE ACCOUNT DIRECTIVE
Before the advent of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in May 2015, the country was being strangulated by unprecedented corruption which the government was determined to tackle headlong by all means. To address the issue of multiple bank accounts by MDAs, government came out with a Treasury Circular from the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation on implementation of Treasury Single Account (TSA) to all MDA’s including Federal Universities to keep a Revenue e-collection Account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), where all revenue accruing to the University should be paid into. Also, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) issued a circular to all Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) in the country (See Attachment 17) on the closure of Revenue Accounts of all Federal MDAs including Federal Universities.
However, instead of the University complying with the directive of the government on the issue of TSA, the University has continued to operate illegal revenue accounts with Commercial Banks and the FUNAAB Microfinance Bank (See attachment 18). This is a clear case of defiance of Federal Government Directives and concealment of funds for fraudulent ends.
ILLEGAL PAYMENT OF LEAVE BONUS TO ACADEMIC STAFF IN 2014
On 1st January 2007, Federal Government came out with new salary structure for tertiary Institutions – Consolidated Salary Structure for Non-Teaching Staff (CONTISS) and Consolidated Salary Structure for Academic Staff (CONUASS). In the Consolidated Salary Structure, all regular emoluments (Basic Salaries and Allowances) had been merged (consolidated) to form a single pay figure. Under the new Salary Structure, Leave Bonus was part and parcel of allowances that were consolidated and not allowed to be re-introduced and paid as separate item.
Shockingly, under the administration of Prof. Olusola Oyewole, in 2014, 50% of Consolidated Salary to all Academic Staff as Leave Bonus was approved and paid during the 2013/2014 Academic Session. This shows lack of proper understanding of government policies and lack of capacity to handle simple administrative matter. By this illegal and hapless action of the Vice-Chancellor, the University was defrauded to the tune of over N61,000,000.00 (Sixty One Million Naira) of public funds (See attachment 19) which could have been used for development of academic facilities.
ILLEGAL OVERSEAS TRAINING TRIPS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS
Despite Government’s policy statements and pronouncements against frivolous overseas travels (See attachment 20), the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta had flagrantly refused to comply with the directive. The University’s Council under Pro-Chancellor, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, granted an approval for a phony overseas’ jamboree for all sixteen (16) Council Members to the United Kingdom and Netherlands in April 2016, at a whooping cost of almost Twenty Five Million Naira (N25,000,000) (See attachment 21).
It is unfortunate to note that, the Federal Ministry of Education Representative on Council, Mr. Polycarp Shambo, who is expected to guide Council and ensure compliance of this directive, betrayed the trust reposed in him and partook in this illegality. This is ironic considering that the same Mr. Shambo had earlier argued at a Council meeting against the sponsorship of staff for overseas training and courses, on the strength of this same directive.
BREAKDOWN OF INDUSTRIAL PEACE, TOWN AND GOWN RELATIONSHIP
Owing to the poor human, social and relationship style of the Vice- Chancellor, there has been a breakdown of industrial peace on Campus. The past one year has witnessed protests, lock-outs and other actions by students and staff, indicative of unrest in the University. The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council has not helped matters as he deploys divide and rule tactics and other devious means to ensure that there is no peace on the Campus. This approach has empowered him to always have reason to come to the University to “intervene”, ultimately leading to travel, night and feeding allowances as estacode for his interventions. Majority of staff and students have nothing positive to say about the Vice-Chancellor and the Council on account of this.
The Community has also been alienated by the social style of the Vice-Chancellor as Traditional Rulers and community leaders in the environment have at one time or the other, experienced the bitter taste of the Vice-Chancellor’s belligerent and arrogant attitude. We request that you discreetly send a team to investigate these claims.
CONCLUSION
Within the last four years, the University has been patently defrauded by the Pro-Chancellor, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe in concert with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor O.B Oyewole, to the tune of about Three Hundred Million Naira (N300,000,000) of scarce and ill-affordable fund, at a very austere time.
From the aforementioned, the unimaginable degree of rot and indiscipline that is thriving in the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, FUNAAB, is a function of gross incompetence of the Pro-Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor coupled with their insatiable appetite for corrupt practices which is taking its toll on teaching, research and infrastructural development of the University. The once beautiful and promising FUNAAB has been turned into a shadow of itself, with palpable fear, confusion and uncertainty enveloping the entire campus.
In the interest of tax-paying citizens and the teaming youth population of this country who deserve qualitative and functional education, the Visitor to the University, President Muhammadu Buhari, is hereby humbly appealed to invoke the relevant provisions of the University Miscellaneous Amendment Act 2007, Section 2 (i)
“The Council so constituted, shall have tenure of four years from the date of its inauguration provided that where a Council is found to be incompetent and corrupt, it shall be dissolved by the Visitor and a New Council shall be immediately constituted for the effective functioning of the University”.
Our discoveries are not to the effect that all members of the Council are incompetent and corrupt. However, there is a famous African saying that “the fish rots from the head”. There is no doubt that even if some members of Council and Management are saints, having a corrupt Chairman of Council and Vice-Chancellor, the Chief Executive Officer of the University, would determine the outcome and effect of the Council on the University. We therefore appeal that the needful be done to stem the tide of flagrant corruption and incompetence which the Pro-Chancellor, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe as well as the Vice-Chancellor, Professor O.B Oyewole, represent.
This appeal is made in the overall public good and to protect the University from total breakdown and further slide in academic standard and productivity. We have made the above disclosures as concerned free born citizens of Nigeria and as stakeholders in the educational sector.
We have no doubt in our minds that the above submissions would be given the true and proper consideration it deserves.
Yours Faithfully,
Com Emmanuel Abinbola Bankole Com Abdussobur Olayiwola Salaam
0803 288 8672 0803 809 8700
Comrade Olasunkanmi P. Somoye
0803 344 6044
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