Nasarawa Polytechnic Investigative Panel Gives Damning Verdict Of Incompetence, Flagrant Abuse Of Laws, Misappropriation, Lack Of Direction On Institution’s Management And Governing Council

Rabiu Omaku

The Investigative Panel constituted to look into the activities of the Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia from 2011 to 2017 has unveiled that the embattled management of the Polytechnic exhibited incompetence, lack of direction and executive excesses in running the affairs of the institution.

The chairman of the Committee, Fati Sabo hinted this while presenting the report of the Panel alongside the reports of the Fact-finding committee into the activities of the College of Education, Akwanga and College of Agriculture, Lafia.

The Panel uncovered that the Committee was shocked over the flagrant abuse of office, display of unprofessionalism exhibited by both the Rector, Dr. Silas  Gyar, the  Registrar, Labani Dio and the then Bursar, Abdullahi Akyo who were directed to hand over to the next officers on the 2/11/2017.

Apart from the obvious display of incompetence the chairman of the Panel, Fati Sabo revealed that both the Governing Council and the management were involved in misappropriation of funds to their personal uses.

The chairman buttressed that the high handedness of the management and Governing council headed by Ishaku Dauda lead to the loss of colossal revenue being diverted to personal pockets, she added.

In a related development, the Fact Finding Committee into the activities of the College of Education revealed that they had a successful assignment, commended the head of the institution, Dr. Rebecca Isaac Umar for the understanding and cooperation the accorded the Committee

The chairman, Fati Sabo commended the state governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura for selecting them in such a Committee.

Describing the governor as a saving grace for the Nasarawa State Polytechnic, she further commended members of the Committee for their relentless effort and commitment to ensuring that the assignment is successful.

Recommending that a right leadership, Finance, and the vibrant workforce is needed to enhance standard.

The troubles that lead to the fall of the embattled Rector, Dr.Silas Gyar suspend a lecturer for revealing that the institution generates N400m to N450m annually as Internally Generated Revenue.

It would be recalled that universalreporters247.com an online blog in one of its report uncovered that a male staff of the institution from the Accountancy Department was suspended for revealing That the Polytechnic generates N400,000,000 to N450,000,000m as Internally Generated Revenue annually.

The revelations did not go down well with the management and a decision was taking without due consultation with the executive of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic under the headship of Paul Hussaini as the fate of the embattled staff who was from the Accountancy Department is still in limbo.

Sources of the IGR are mostly generated from the sales of admission forms, and admission letters, but the huge revenue comes from the Consultancy Services Units which is enough to sustain the institution.

Feelers maintained that the chunk amount of money disappeared into the thin air, as he further said nothing to show for in times of new structure build by the school if not the presence of buildings constructed by either the government of Nasarawa State which he listed to include the twin hostels accommodation almost completed.

An insider also added that most of the existing structures are intervention from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and no single project to boost of by the school.

An impeccable source expressed dissatisfaction with the decay of facilities ranging from the condition of electrical fittings like fans which are in bad shapes with the N400 million generated as Internally Generated Revenue.

Source also asked why the management of the institution remained mute over the issue of a female staff that was involved in sharp practices by diverting school fees of over 43 students.

It was authoritatively gathered that four staff that were suspended for diverting school fees worth N20, 000,000 go scot free while one of them was compelled to refund N4million.

The question was why the segregation in dealing with staff involved in the aggrandizement of public fund, other accusations was the sponsorship of outsiders to workshops and seminars with money from TETFUND while the deserving staff is on the waiting list.

Another decision of the management that generated mixed feelings from the Polytechnic was the hiring of external estate valuers to value landed properties in the institution, it was reliably gathered that N5,000,000m was voted for the exercise even with the presence of experts from Quantity Survey and Town Planning Unit.

The source who pleaded anonymity also laments over deductions from salaries but no remittance was made to the concerned authority by the school management.

Another shabby deal of the Polytechnic was the recent disengagement of some engaged state mostly academic staff from the service of the School without notice. One of the staff, Mal.Mansur is battle ready to drag the institution to a court of competent Jurisdiction over his entitlement denied him.

In a summon address by Amal Chambers and made available to universalreporters247.com, the complaint is asking the court to compel the Polytechnic to settle his unpaid money worth over N200, 000.

It was revealed that in his engagement letter the management agreed to pay him a monthly take-home pay of N45,000 but reverse the agreement and was paid N35,000 monthly contrary to the agreement of engagement.

Another issue that generated tension in the institution was the recent decision of the state government to conduct a screening exercise, an impeccable source revealed that the Polytechnic as an institution with autonomy would resist the screening which he unfolded that series of data capture, biometric exercise without any meaningful results to show for.

Another anti-policy which was resisted even in the presence of the current commissioner Of Education, Hon. Ahmed Aliyu Tijjani when he paid an inspection visit to the school was the lingering impasse over contributory pension; again the unsettled crisis of Housing under the Federal Housing Scheme headed by the Federal Mortgage Bank is a dust yet to settle.

With the chunk of money generated by Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia as IGR it went further to collect loan from United Bank for Africa (UBA) which amounted to millions of Naira this lead to a disagreement compelling the institution to withdrew her account from UBA to Zenith bank as the bank run down the request or gave a condition that the state government should serve as a guarantor.

The Rector, Dr. Silas Gyar when contacted at his office declined to comment, saying he has no appointment with reporters.

“The rector said he will not attend to any Journalists because he did not have an appointment or invited any press”, said the female secretary to the rector even after two hours of waiting at the secretary’s office.