The House of Representatives Committee on Polytechnics and other Higher Technical Education Institutions, has queried Federal Polytechnic Mubi, Adamawa State, Federal Polytechnic Monguno, Borno State and Federal Polytechnic Damaturu, Yobe State over some administrative and financial infractions.
This happened when Rectors and management staff of the three institutions appeared before the Committee in its ongoing engagements to ascertain the budget performances of such Institutions
The Committee found out during presentation by the Rector, Federal Polytechnic Mubi, Dr Abdulrahman A. Ishaku, that projects that were to be completed in two to three years were not completed despite adequate release of funds, and one of such was a staff quarters and an administrative block project by the institution running for years.
Reacting to the development, Hon. Emil Inyang who stood in for the Committee Chairman, Hon. Fuad Kayode Laguda at the meeting, lamented that, the projects have not been completed and have been recurring in the budgets. “Physical Planning, can you show me where you rolled over the project to 2023? It’s not here. Is it in 2024? Why do you come here to lie? Where is it? That admin block, is it in use? Has it been completed? So, you have abandoned it.
“Gentlemen, I don’t know what to say to these kind of people. Construction of staff quarters, Item number Nine under 2022 capital projects. Have you seen it Rector? What is the state of that building? Is it completed? It is completed, that’s what is shown here, and you are saying it is still remaining fittings. Is fittings not part of completion?
“You people are just disgracing yourselves. We are just killing this country from various directions. From our various positions we are just killing this country. Let me ask a question on this staff quarters. In 2022, the amount appropriated was N57.9 million, N28.9 was utilized was released, so remaining N28.9 that’s half”, he said.
Similarly, the Committee berated the Federal Polytechnic Damaturu over using Insecurity as an excuse for financial malfeasance and other infractions as well the abuse of Federal Character in employment.
Also on a presentation by the Rector, Federal Polytechnic Monguno, Prof. Garba Mohd, the Committee directed the institution to be diligent in its employment, as it discovered a skewed empolyment in the institution in favour of a particular section of the country.
