By Idris Ahmed, Lokoja.
The acting Rector of Kogi state Polytechnic, Dr Salisu Ogbo Usman has raised the alarm over some fraudulent members of staff that are milking the institution dry through stealing and illegal issuing of the Polytechnic receipts.
Addressing Journalists at a press conference held on the main campus of the institution on Monday, Dr Usman, said
when the atrocity came to the fore, the management, set up a Committee to investigate the authenticity and possible depth of involvement of the alleged members of staff.
According to the Rector, the Committee discovered that there is a syndicate that has been stealing the receipt booklets form the Polytechnic store , using same to collect money and issue statement of results and certificates without remitting the money collected to the Polytechnic account.
He alleged that the syndicate operates mostly in active connivance with graduated students who evaded paying school fees during the period of their studies, as some paid little or nothing to the Polytechnic, some pay less to collect their certificates and statement of results.
“The committee also discovered that the fraudulent members of staff charge them less than what they should ideally pay to collect certificate or statement of result. For instance, we charge N7,050 and N3,050 per person for the collection of Certificate and Statement of Result respectively.” Dr Usman further revealed.
He lamented that the fraudulently collected amount ends up in private pockets thereby causing revenue leakage for the Institution.
“The Committee was able to obtain the identity of one of our graduates who has benefitted from the fraudulent issuance of the stolen receipts. The person in question is a member of staff of a Magistrate Court in Lokoja.
“He has since disclosed the amount he paid to be issued the certificate but has been evasive in respect of who he paid the money to. After concerted efforts to get him to disclose the identity or identities of the persons to no avail, we are considering the ultimate option of writing to the court where he works to notify them of the shady deal involving someone on their payroll.
“We are also considering setting machineries in motion to withdraw the certificate issued to him since he has proven to be no longer worthy in character.” He said.
On cultism and insecurity, the Rector maintained that with the full support of the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the management has made it a point of duty to stamp out cultism and ensure safety of lives and property on the campus.
“You all can bear us witness that our actions have been effectively tailored towards fulfilling that mission. However, cultism and cult related activities are still showing their ugly heads around the campus vicinity.
“A day to our last matriculation, we got intelligence report that some cult groups were about engaging in initiation ceremony at a location very close to the Polytechnic. We intimated the Police who in conjunction with our internal security apparatus swung into action and apprehended the culprits”. The Acting Rector stated.
He however expressed dismay that not long after the arrested suspected cultists were handed over to disbanded SARS, same boys were released and are back again terrorizing the neighbourhood causing disharmony and regularly robbing students that are staying off campus.
