The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee, (PAC), on Wednesday, directed the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abubakar Rasheed Adamu to produce before it all the Vice-Chancellors whose Universities were indicted by the Office of the Auditor General for the Federation over illegal approval of budgets and extra-budgetary spendings over the years.
Chairman of the Committee Hon, 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 for the Federation to be operating illegally budgets and extra-budgetary expenditures.
Hon Oke while speaking shortly after the Vice-Chancellor of the Adama Modibo, Federal University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State, Prof Abdullahi Leman Tukur made his presentation before the Committee, said that the action became necessary as the affected Vice-Chancellors had refused to honour all invitations extended to them without any justification.
Oke directed the Clerk of the committee to notify the Minister of Education about the development Immediately.
He said: “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 a warrant of arrest against them, they must account for public funds they collected”
Oke urged Prof Tukur to assist the Committee to educate his Colleagues in making themselves available 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 to appear before the Committee with the followings: Copies of the budgetary estimates the Commission presented to the Mr. President through the Budget Office of the Federation concerning 2015 to 2022 fiscal year.
Copies of the budget estimates that were presented to the Mr. President which in turn presented to the National Assembly.
And Confirmation on whether the Constitutionally laid down process complied with before expenditures from the Internally Generated Revenue by the Commission with documentary evidence.
Approved Budget (both Appropriation and IGR 2021 and 2022), amongst others.
Prof Tukur who Commended the Committee for its good work promised to talk to his colleagues about the need for them to cause an appearance.
