Management of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, Ondo State, says no case of sharp practices has been established against the institution by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over TETfund projects.
This is contained in a statement issued by the institution’s Registrar, Mr Ganiyu Saliu and made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Okitipupa.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the clarification came on the heels of some online media reports to the effect that the university’s management was queried over alleged TETFund contract racketeering.
The online media had further reported that the institution allegedly violated Public Procurement Act by not following due process in the undisclosed multi-million TETFund project in the university.
The report also claimed that the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sunday Ogunduyile, his Deputy, Prof. Francis Igbasan and the Procurement Officer, Mr Bankole Adeyefa, breached the procurement act by not advertising the contract.
Part of the media report was also that one of the contractors, who bided for the contract, had petitioned the anti-graft agency, alleging that three principal officers awarded the contract for themselves, without consulting other bidders.
However, the registrar said that the allegations by the said contractor and the online media were targeted at tarnishing the image of the institution.
Although Saliu confirmed that the management was queried by EFCC, he, however, said that the institution was not the only one affected by the query, adding that same was done for all other institutions with TETFund projects.
“The attention of the management of OAUSTECH has been drawn to the social media report being circulated by some sensational media outfits whichare out to tarnish the image of our university for no justifiable cause.
“It is true that the EFCC requested for information and later invited a staffer of the university for discussions concerning some projects sponsored by TETFund in our university.
“The request and subsequent actions were routine activities by the Federal Government agency and it is important to note here that OAUSTECH was not the only institution invited and checked by EFCC.
“Other institutions that benefited from the federal government intervention, through TETFund, were also checked.
“Apart from requesting for information from the universities, including OAUSTECH, EFCC also sought information from the TETFund office in Abuja concerning the projects,” he said.
The registrar said that TETFund had responded to EFCC by clearing the university on the status of the projects under reference.
“So far, no case of sharp practice has been established against the university, the vice-chancellor or any OAUSTECH staffer.
“The allegations are being made by detractors behind the scene who had made representations to the vice-chancellor to provide inducement so as to silence the ‘probe’ but to no avail,” he said.
NAN reports that OAUSTECH started benefitting from the TETFund intervention two years ago. (NAN)
