NOSA EGHAGHA
The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC), has directed the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abubakar Rasheed Adamu, to produce before it all vice chancellors whose universities were indicted by office of the Auditor General of the Federation.
Chairman of the Committee, Rep Busayo Oluwole Oke (PDP-Osun), gave the directive at the resumed hearing of the ongoing investigations of over 100 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), of the Federal Government, alleged by the Auditor General’s office of operating illegal budgets and extra- constitutional expenditures over the years.
Oke in his presentation, said the action became necessary as the affected vice chancellors had refused to honour all the invitations extended to them without justified attention.
He directed clerk of the committee to notify the Minister of Education about the development immediately.
According to him, “the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC is hereby directed to bring the affected vice chancellors before this honourable committee to speak to the audit queries raised against their universities, enough of this ignoble act, why are they avoiding the Parliament, it means they have something to hide.
“The committee is trying to give the affected vice chancellors an opportunity of fair hearing, we are going to name them and shame them in the national dailies, we have the power to issue warrant of arrest against them, they must account for public funds they collected.”
Prof Abdullahi Leman Tukur,
Federal University of Technology Yola, Adamawa State, was urged to assist the committee, educate his colleagues to appear before the committee based on his experience during his appearance, saying that the committee was not out to harass them.
The Vice Chancellors are expected before the committee with the following documents; “copies of budgetary estimates the commission presented to President Muhammadu Buhari through the Budget Office of the Federation with respect to the 2015 to 2022 fiscal year.
“Copies of budget estimates, presented to President Buhari and the National Assembly and; confirmation on whether the constitutionally laid down process was complied with, prior to expenditures from the Internally Generated Revenue by the commission with documentary evidence.
Also, “Approved Budget (both Appropriation and IGR 2021 and 2022), amongst others.”
Prof Tukur however, commended the committee for its good work, promising to talk to his Colleagues on the need for them to do the needful.
