Osun College denies financial impropriety allegation

The management of Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, has denied allegation of financial impropriety and embezzlement being leveled against it.

Provost of the institution, Prof. Isaac Oyewole, in a chat with Journalists, said the allegation was being peddled by enemies of progress and some disgruntled elements who are not comfortable with his administration.

He, However, admitted that some officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) visited the institution based on a petition written to the commission by some individuals, he said the ICPC has not come out with its verdict on the investigation.

Prof. Oyewole, who stated that his administration was against corruption and illegal activities, said all forms of corrupt acts by both the academic and non-academic staff of the institution have been halted since his assumption of office.

He explained that his administration has put in place measures to prevent corrupt practices in the institution, adding that the institution has put in place a Quality Control unit to assess publications by Lecturers of the institution.

Hisn words, “Some officials of the ICPC recently visited the institution and requested for documents in respect of a project going on in the institution. The visit by the ICPC was sequel to a petition written to the commission on a project going on in the institution.”

“We are law-abiding people and we shall not commit any atrocity to rubbish our integrity and that of the institution. The college is rated high and this is evident in the approval given to all our projects by both the state government and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund,” he added.

On the non-payment of peculiar allowance by the management of the institution to the staff, Oyewole said the allowance had been paid up till October last year, saying that the outstanding allowance would be paid as soon as the economy of the institution improves.

He said the recent closure of the institution was as a result of peaceful protest embarked upon by some students of the institution due to the suspension of their second semester examination.

He added that all the matters that led to the protest have been resolved by the management of the institution, adding that the institution will soon be re-opened for commencement of the second semester examination.

But the Academic staff of the college have insisted on the full payment of their peculiar allowance before returning to their duty posts.

The chairman of the institution’s branch of the Colleges of Education Staff Union (COESU), Mr. Segun Onifade, said the staff of the college would continue to dialogue with the management, adding that they would not resume until the payment of the outstanding allowance.