Fresh facts have emerged on how the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta ( FUNNAB), Professor Olusola Oyewole, Pro-Chancellor, Professor Olusola Bamidele and Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe respectively, allegedly defrauded the institution of N108.2 million.
The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) of the institution, according to a popular daily, revealed that the fraud was perpetrated through inflation of furniture and housing allowances.
The association chairman, Fasunwo Olurotimi, alleged that the VC had collected N23 million in furniture allowance in four years as against N5.7 million allowed by law.
Fasunwon said, “despite his being quartered in official residence, Professor Oyewole has also collected another N23 million in housing and rent allowance. The Vice Chancellor has been collecting the money despite a government circular which prohibits public office holders resident in official residences.”
The SSANU chairman also said that despite a consolidated salary of the VC which was put above N1 million monthly, the VC had been collecting illegal monthly allowance of N480, 000.
He alleged that under this arrangement, the vice chancellor approved the payment in 2014 and backdated it to 2012 when he was first appointed.
The Chairman also alleged that the Pro Chancellor Ogunlewe collected N6 million under the children marriage allowance for a marriage not biologically connected with him, while the VC was also alleged to have assessed N5 million under the same arrangement.
Ogunlewe was also alleged to have collected N3.2 million accrued interest from N842 million of Earned Allowance paid to the institution in 2013 but was fixed in a deposit account.
The Association also accused the council members of spending N25 million on illegal and wasteful ‘overseas jamborees’ in 2016, against Federal Government directive.
The Head, Directorate of Public Relations of the University, Emi Alawode, in his response said the matter was before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the agency should be allowed to do its job.
