By Our Correspondent
House of Representatives Committee on Polytechnics and Other Higher Technical Education has raised concerns over alleged financial and administrative infractions in three federal polytechnics in Northern Nigeria.
The institutions include the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi in Adamawa State, Federal Polytechnic, Monguno in Borno State and Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu, Yobe State.
The committee, as part of its oversight responsibilities, summoned the rectors and key management staff of the polytechnics to account for their budget performances and address allegations of irregularities in the management of funds allocated to their institutions.
The committee, however, uncovered multiple infractions in the documents presented by the three institutions, highlighting violation of the federal character principle in employment, extra-budgetary expenditures and recurring instances of abandoned or uncompleted projects in one of the institutions.
During the presentation by the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Dr Abdulrahman Ishaku, the committee discovered that several projects, that were initially scheduled for completion within two to three years, remain unfinished despite receiving adequate budgetary allocations.
The committee expressed displeasure over the prolonged non-completion of staff quarters and administrative block project by the institution, despite the projects recurring in the budgets for several years.
Speaking during a meeting, Emil Inyang, who represented the Committee Chairman, Fuad Laguda, expressed frustration over the delay.
He lamented that despite repeated budgetary allocations, the projects remain incomplete, raising concerns about accountability and effective project implementation.
The committee chairman also expressed displeasure over inconsistencies in the presentation of the institution’s report.
tAddressing the representatives, he said “physical planning, can you show me where you rolled over the project to 2023? It is not here. Is it in the 2024 budget? Why do you come here to lie? Where is it? That administration block, where is it; is it in use? Has it been completed? So, you have abandoned it.”
He queried the state of other projects, citing specific examples:
“Construction of staff quarters, item number niine under 2022 capital projects, have you seen it, Rector? What is the state of that building? According to this document, it has been completed, yet you are saying it is still awaiting fittings. Are fittings not part of completion?”
The chairman lamented the lack of accountability and urged the institution to provide clarity and transparency on the status of its projects.
