Yaba College of Technology is enmeshed in an embarrassing crisis over corruption allegations against its management, WALE RAYNERS reports from Lagos.
Last year, there was palpable tension at the Yaba College of Technology(YABATECH), Lagos. Hard as management of the institution tried to stifle it several months after, the ripples are yet to abate.
Lecturers, students and other stakeholders spoke to Time Nigeria expressing their fears over the consequence of the crisis which bordered on allegations against the college management.
At the heart of the controversy are the allegations against the Rector of the College, Mrs Margret Kudirat Ladipo.
Some staff members blame the Rector for the serial crisis that refused to abate over the years in the institution. They accused the institution’s Governing Council under the chairmanship of Chief Ebenezer Babatope of conspiracy to “loot the institution’s treasury.’’ Some other council members, Sheu Ibraheem, and Ambassador Yakubu Kwari, were also accused of shielding the rector against investigation.
It would be recalled that some petitioners had written the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, accusing the rector of “corruption, mismanagement and wastage of the institution’s fund and abuse of office”.
Among many other allegations, the rector was alleged to have purchased a 650 KVA generator from Commint Nigeria Limited for N24 million without complying with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act which stipulates a national competitive bidding before such a contract could be awarded.
On 18th May, 2010, Ladipo was said to have awarded the contract for the repair of a 1.5 KVA generator to the same Commint Company in the sum of N9.5 million. She was also alleged to have incurred unapproved private hotel bills of about N15 million within a year. The rector was also said to have single-handedly awarded the contract for the construction of roads and fence of the institution’s Epe campus to an unknown contractor. The contract, according to investigation, has not been completed till date even as Time Nigeria learnt that a sum of N200 million was spent on the project.
Armed with the petitions, the EFCC invited some principal officials of the institution, including the college bursar, Olu Ibirogba. Time Nigeria findings reveal that some of the staff members gave insightful statements that could aid the anti-graft agency to prosecute the rector. But the investigation, according to the EFCC, is still ongoing.
The college bursar was to be subsequently suspended for revealing indicting information to the EFCC. The action, which Ibirogba confirmed, is being challenged in the National Industrial Court.
“I don’t want to comment on the issue of my suspension again since I’m challenging it in a law court”, Ibirogba had told Time Nigeria.
Dr. Margaret Kudirat Ladipo
Ibirogba, who worked as the assistant chief accountant at Federal Polytechnic, Ede, wrote a petition to the Minister of Education in November, 2013, calling for the probe of cash donations from Forestech Nigeria Limited of about N70 Million. Ibirogba, in his petition, also accused the rector of diverting the money meant for staff honorarium. The petitioner also accused the rector of mismanaging the Yabatech Consults Limited. He alleged that the Yabatech consult has been turned to conduit pipe through which the rector awards contracts to herself and her cronies. The suspended bursar called for an independent investigation into the abuse of public office being exhibited by the Yabatech rector.
In December, 2013, the college management organized a retreat for the governing council.
It was alleged that Jackay Hotel, Gbagada and the management were involved inflation of room rates. The hotel, it was learnt, charges N7, 000 for a single room lodge but the rector allegedly inflated the room rate to N135, 000.
It was gathered that the retreat was later held at Protea hotel. The reason for using Jackay Hotel in the proposal written for approval , it was learnt, was based on attempt to ask for refund which Protea Hotel will not do.
The Federal Criminal Investigation Department of the Nigeria Police investigated the “controversial retreat” forwarded its report to the office of the Deputy Inspector General of Police based on request. A police source told Time Nigeria that retreat expenses were highly inflated and that the excesses of the money were refunded.
Police investigations also revealed that the excesses of the money were refunded to Kunle Adams, the displaced spokesman of the college who was removed for “his inability to kill a negative story against the rector”. Jackay hotel management was said to have refunded through Zenith bank account of two companies belonging to Kunle Adam, the former college spokesperson.
According to police investigations, N3 Million was paid to the account of Sherik enterprises and another N3 Million to Fask communication accounts. It was also learnt that N1.5 Million was paid to the bank account of Akintola Daramola and another cash of N3 million was given to Kunle Adam.
Some part time staff of the college were involved in the prolonged polytechnic strike in 2013 over non payment of their salary.
The magazine checks indicated that between October and December 2013, about N1.5 billion was generated. The wages of the part time lecturers was about N100million.
“Although we cannot come out publicly to protest this but the truth of the matter is that we are being cheated by the management in not paying our wages.
“ The rector particularly happened to be my godmother but she is not being prudent in her handling of the school finances,’’ a part time staff who pleaded anonymity said.
Despite the inability of the college to pay wages owed part time staff, over 300 new staff were employed in September, 2014. The college also generated about N65 million from the post JAMB test written on 5th to 6th September, 2014 but the staff remunerations were not paid.
Mid last year, it was learnt that the then Chief of Staff to the President, Mike Ogiadome, prevailed on Rukayat Rufai, former Minister of Education to investigate the alleged corruption in YABATECH.
The report of the probe panel was said to have being sent to Head of Service where it is presently gathering dust..
Findings also revealed that Moruf Adebakin, the Deputy Registrar (Administration) told the Independent Corrupt Practise Commission, ICPC, that the rector loaned the college a sum of N30 million. Adebakin, who was then the director of YABATECH Consult, claimed that the money was meant for the commercial production of blocks and paint.
It was also pointed out that Ladipo was just appointed rector that time and could not have such a huge amount of money in her private account tolend the institution.
Charles Oni, Director of Public Relations, however, debunked all allegations against his boss. The college spokesman, who took over from Kunle Adam, argued that the rector did not give such a loan to the college.
Oni, who was the pioneer head of Mass communication Department, asked rhetorically: “Where will she gets N30 Million?’’. He added that “all the allegations were raised by disgruntled elements who want to pull the woman (rector) down.
“Substantial number of the petitions are known to the public for a long time and they had been investigated by the Governing Council and found to be spurious and calculated attempt to malign the image of the rector.
“ It was on record that one of the mandates of the YABATECH Governing Council, headed by elder statesman, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, when it resumed office in 2003 was to investigate the initial allegations.
“ The Council found the allegations as mere figments of the imagination of an over ambitious fifth columnist,’’ Oni added.
He said that anyone in doubt about the achievements of the rector should visit the college.
Ironically, members of the House of Representative Committee on Education have commended the rector for what they described as her judicious use of resources.
The members of the committee led by its chairman, Aminu Suleiman, gave the commendation when they visited the college as part of their oversight function late last year.
The chairman, who hailed the rector for her leadership style, noted that she had contributed to the transformation of the college.
