Confusion and palpable tension have gripped the Osun State University, as the Vice-chancellor, Professor Labode Popoola, and members of the trade union in the university accused each other of fraud and misconduct.
The VC, had in a press conference on Friday, said the leadership of Non Academic Staff Union, NASU, were waging war against his administration to cover up their alleged fraudulent activities, for which they had been indicted.
“The former Secretary of NASU, in the person of Mr Olugbeja, was illegally awarded a Tetfund Grant for a conference in the USA but unfortunately, absconded . His monthly salaries were not stopped until due process was followed.
“NASU Chairman, Mr. Isaiah Fayemi, got himself entangled in a financial mess involving missing booklets of receipt of the University. All these occurred before my assumption of duty in November 2016. Management approved the report of the investigate panel that Mr. Fayemi and others involved in the receipt booklet scam should face the Staff Disciplinary Committee (SDC). Since that decision was taken, the university has not known peace”, Popoola said.
The VC explained that Olugbeja was stepped down by the audit department and that the stoppage of his payment sparked agitation from NASU which culminated into physical assault on the former Ag. Head of Internal Audit by NASU.
In a swift reaction however, Mr Isaiah Fayemi, who is the Chairman of NASU in the school, and also alleged to have been involved in some racketeering, said his former Secretary was not granted Tetfund to travel.
“He only went on leave and wrote the university of his involvement in an accident and thereby requested for leave of absence, which he was entitled to. Instead of granting him, the VC started the process of terminating his appointment which he eventually did by October 23, 2018”.
While defending himself on the alleged receipt racketeering levelled against him by the university management, he said, “I am surprised the VC is still talking about this.
“I used receipt booklets in 2014, remitted both the money realised for the University and the booklets to my then Head of Unit, Mr Rufus Adebisi. He came up with a story that booklets were missing 3 years after when the receipts were no longer in my custody.
“The Vice-chancellor set up a panel to investigate and I had appeared 3 times before the panel. The panel had since submitted his reports. Tell him to implement the reports of the panel if I’m guilty
“I repeat, the VC is a professional and serial liars. He fabricated all these in order to cause distraction regarding the case he has with EFCC.
“Tell him to concentrate on the case of financial impropriety he has with EFCC. If he’s sure I’m involved in any financial mess, tell him to take me to EFCC or ICPC, he is a thief.”
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