At last, the Rector of the Adamawa State Polytechnic, Yola, Prof. Ibrahim Umar, has denied earlier allegations of embezzlement and misappropriation of funds totaling about N50.8 million from the coffers of the institution leveled against him.
The N50.8million was realised from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and the polytechnic’s Internally Generated Revenue.
The Rector stressed that there was never any N30 million from TETFUND resources, either withdrawn or misappropriated within eight months of his tenure as the rector of the institution.
“Rather, l was able to secure funds worth N75 million from the TETFUND Special Grant for the purchase of a Coaster bus and 100 pieces of desktop computer set, which have been supplied and installed in the institution’s library by TETFUND,” he told some newsmen in Yola.
On the alleged misappropriation of the N6.8million meant for staff nursery and primary school at the Jambutu campus of the polytechnic, the rector said, “I wish to state that the total amount approved was N 3.4 million, not N6.8million as alleged and the money was released to the project committee and members of the committee, who signed and collected the money are here for further clarification”.
Umar further explained that his furniture and vehicle allowances, which were 300 percent of his basic salary, were not up to N14million as claimed, adding, “As we speak, only half of the allowances was given to me pending when funds are available, which l humbly accepted, knowing the epileptic financial position of the polytechnic.”
Speaking further, the Rector said over 21 programmes offered by the polytechnic had been accredited and only needed to be visited after five years, adding that recently the institution got approval for two additional diploma programmes, Printing Technology and Library and information Science
“We have also resuscitated two diploma programmes, Integrated Science Education and Mathematics Education. All these will take effect from 2018/2019 academic session. To allege that we are losing or risking chances of losing courses is the wildest imagination of rumour mongers,” he said.
Checks revealed that there had been a power tussle between the rector and the Registrar of the polytechnic, Hajiya Mariya Nyako. But the rector said that the issue had been laid to rest.
The rector had complained on his resumption that monies were withdrawn from the institution’s account without his permission and had directed that henceforth every expenditure should get approval from his office before withdrawal, resulting in a crisis in the institution.
