UNILORIN VC Debunks Rumour Of Being Humiliated By Reps Committee
Media reports had it that Reps Committee on Tertiary Education and Services humiliated University of Ilorin Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali, over outrageous overspending without adequate details in its 2015 budget performance. It also fed that the committee, chaired by Hon. Aminu Suleiman, declined to look into the 2016 budget proposals of the university.
In this report, THE BRIEF gives an exclusive account of what actually transpired, seeking explanations from the Vice Chancellor.
Contrary to media reports, the Vice Chancellor of University of Ilorin, Prof. Ambali, has refuted floating rumours that he was walked out by the House Committee while reviewing the institution’s 2015 budget performance. Ambali, who had a chat with The Brief correspondent in his office, described the repot as malicious, misleading and unfounded.
The VC expounded that the only issue raised by the Committee was that some sections of the 2015 budget report lacked detailed analysis of certain expenditure, while explaining that he had immediately directed the varsity’s Bursary Department to provide the required details, which had been subsequently submitted to the lawmakers.
Ambali noted that the House Committee has equally debunked the rumour of his humiliation before them. “They admitted nothing like that happened. They even asked us to bring the copies of those newspapers so as to react to it officially,” he said.
He explained that the university was not the only institution ordered by the lawmakers to provide further clarifications and details during the budget defence. “They said they needed details of some of the bills we submitted… and we are not the only university that such clarifications were demanded from,” he noted.
“The House Committee has equally debunked the rumour that I was humiliated before them. They admitted nothing like that happened. They even asked us to bring the copies of those newspapers so as to react to it officially. They know Unilorin for prudency and accountability.” –Prof. Amabli
Amabli, who spoke with blazing confidence, further argued: “they know Unilorin with prudency and accountability. We have all the records. All we did was to ask the bursary to provide the details.”
Making clarifications on N42 million hotel expenses for the 2015 academic session, he stated that accommodation for newly recruited staff, executive members during seminars, workshops and conferences, MOU collaborators, and foreign guests amount to such bills.
Ambali stressed:
“Accommodating new staff is normal in all establishments, especially universities. Even as far back as 1981 (36 years ago) when I was recruited, I was lodged in the hotel for the first 28 days of my resumption in Maiduguri… that still happens.
“It’s just of recent that the council now decided that there be alternative which anybody that doesn’t want to stay in hotel can collect 150,000 to settle down. Of course only very few people go for that option, most prefer to stay in the hotel.
“When associations come to hold workshops and conferences, they ask the school management for accommodation to lodge a number of their executive members.
“When we have our collaborators whom we have MOU with, they ask for such leverages, most times.
“Our convocation ceremony that was held in October 2015, there was a number of international visitors and troops (Abuja and Ghana national troops) who were part of our 40th Anniversary… Its all part of the hotel bills.”
Ambali restated that those are the details demanded by the House and they have been provided.
“They only said that some things need more clarifications in terms of details. For that, we have it at our bursary department, we just quickly asked them to assemble them,” he recapped.
