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The House of Representatives Committee on Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education has queried the management of the Federal Polytechnic Mubi, Adamawa State, Federal Polytechnic, Monguno, Borno State and Federal Polytechnic Damaturu, Yobe State over various infractions.
The queries were issued when the rectors and management of the three institutions appeared before the committee to tender the accounts of their budget performances.
In the case of the Rector, Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Dr Abdulrahman A. Ishaku, the committee discovered that projects that were to be completed in two to three years were not finished despite adequate release of funds.
Speaking, Hon. Emil Inyang who stood in for the Committee Chairman, Hon. Fuad Kayode Laguda lamented that the although the projects were not completed, they have been recurring in the budgets.
The committee also queried the rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu for using insecurity as an excuse for financial malfeasance and other infractions as well the abuse of Federal Character in employment.
The committee noted that the institution has ‘carelessly’ spent its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
In his presentation, the Acting Rector, Dr Ibrahim Babale Gashua said, the institution is facing low IGR as a result.of the insecurity being faced in the state, which he said has reduced students intake and other activities.
He said, “We that are residing in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State, we have three different high institutions.
“We have to lower our tuition fee because not everybody will come from outside the state. Even those in the state, it is only the course that is not available in their places that they come for in Damaturu because of the insurgency”.
The committee however discovered that despite the insurgency claim, there was no commensurate reduction in its spending, which the committee said cannot be justified.
Similarly, after a presentation by the Rector, Federal Polytechnic Monguno, Prof. Garba Mohammed, the committee directed the institution to also be diligent in its observance of Federal Character and other issues as it discovered a skewed employment in favour of a particular section of the country.
It reminded the rector and members of his management that, as a federal institution, it is required by law to treat all parts of the country in terms of employment and other considerations.
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