The Committee of Vice Chancellors of Federal Universities, has refuted allegations of offering bribe to members of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating job racketeering in federal agencies.
An onlline newspaper had published recently a story, alleging that some members of the committee solicited funds as bribe to make the committee give heads of the affected institutions soft way out.
Vice Chancellor, University of Jos, Prof. Ishaya Tanko who spoke on behalf of the Vice Chancellors when they appeared before the committee on Friday however said to his best of knowledge, money that were sent by some Vice Chancellors was meant for a foreign exchange for them to attend international workshop organised for them in Bamingham, the United Kingdom beginning from Tuesday, September 5, adding that the publisher did not get his facts correct.
He said “During our last meeting, we requested for two weeks because some of the universities did not come with some of the documents required from them. But we read the very disturbing media publication, and I can say that the Vice Chancellors are not part of that. The Vice Chancellors have not provided any bribe to anybody.
“What I recalled happened was that the next day, there was a workshop for the Vice Chancellors and because there is another international workshop organised for CVCNU, I recalled that a number of people were looking for estacode in form of foreign exchange that will enable them travel.
“I also remember that a number of Vice Chancellors were looking for where to get foreign exchange that is reasonable considering the fact that it is difficult to get DTA to travel. I can confirm that majority of the Vice Chancellors are going to travel between Saturday and Monday because the training is commencing on Tuesday in Bamingham.
“Somebody suggested that gentleman, that Vice Chancellors who wish to source foreign exchange from him can transfer some money to him to get foreign exchange to travel. To say that Vice Chancellors are transferring money for bribe is completely out of context and not true”.
On his part, Acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) John Maiyaki said the publication on the bribery allegations was regretable noting that the NUC has confidence in the mandate given to the committee to help in resolving some crisis in the education sector regarding job racketeering.
He said “ Chair, Honourable members the online social media publication is regrettable, whatever the substance is we do not in any way wish that this will impede on the excellent ties and relationship between this vital arm of government and the Nigerian University system. This is one system that holds a lot of promise for the Nigerian University system”.
Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi said the committee has resolved that it will not be distracted “from the central issue we were put in place to address”.
