… gives recommendations on how to improve academic excellence, block leakages
The visitation panel constituted by Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, to look into the challenges mitigating against the College of Health Science and Technology Kaltungo has submitted its report to the State Government on Friday.
Presenting the report to Yahaya through the Secretary to Government of the State, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, Chairman of the eight-member Panel Professor Caleb Kudi, revealed the monumental fraudulent activities of the Governing Council and Principal Officers of the College.
He also appealed to the state government to sustain funding the College, while appointing individuals with requisite knowledge to steer the affairs of the institution.
Professor Kudi added that a forensic audit of all financial records of the College should be conducted to unravel evidences of fraud, irregularities and embezzlement.
He equally explained that the state government should compel some past management of the institution to atone for their infractions by returning government property particularly official vehicles to the college.
The fraudulent activities according to the Panel report include over charged registration fees, NYSC mobilisation fees to tune of Six million Four Hundred and Forty thousand naira, JAMB fees, Student medical Service fees, unapproved internal and external examination s, illegal Pension remittances by staff amounting to one hundred and two million naira where only one hundred and thirty thousand naira was remitted to the Pension Administrators, Severance allowance collection of twenty million contrary to the provisions of the College Laws, Professional indexing charges among others amounting to over one hundred and fifty million naira only.
The chairman of the visitation panel to the College of Health Science and Technology Kaltungo further recommend to the Inuwa Yahaya-led administration on the need to constitute a team of experts to produce a detail and factual history of the evolution of the college from 1978 to date for proper documentation, investigate cases of reported cases of sexual harassment with a view to bringing culpable persons to book as well as refunds of money fraudulently collected and mismanaged by the Immediate past management of the college.
Kudi used the presentation ceremony to thank Governor Yahaya for finding them worthy to serve in the visitation panel.
Responding, Governor Yahaya, who was represented the Secretary to Government of the State Njodi expressed gratitude to the visitation panel for meticulously looking at challenges confronting the College of Health Science and Technology Kaltungo from a comprehensive point of view.
He described the visitation panel as an instrument usually constituted to carry out a holistic assessment of issues faced by institutions of higher learning with a view to reporting same to Government authorities for appropriate action.
He explained that the idea to constitute visitation panels to institutions of higher learning in Gombe State was born out of the insatiable commitment by the governor to fix all sectors in the state especially the education sector thereby giving parents confidence and value for their money.
He assured the visitation panel that the current administration is poised to changing the awkward narrative in administration hence, their findings would not be treated with disdain.
On the Panel’s recommendations on the refund of illegally collected and mismanaged, and liabilities incurred through fraudulent activity from the immediate past Provost and other principal officers and return of government vehicles, he directed the College Sole Administrator Dr Ahmed Wali Doho, to urgently write those concerned to return government vehicles, adding that there would be necessary action on those found wanting to ensure refund of funds embezzled.
JD
IO
SGS’ office.
