2016 Budget Defence: Reps Blast UNILORIN VC Over N300 Million Undetailed Spending

Yesterday, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Tertiary Education and Services declined to look into the 2016 budget proposals of the University of Ilorin over apparent overspending without adequate details in its 2015 budget performance.

The committee, chaired by Hon. Aminu Suleiman, also frowned at the action of the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali, for spending the sum of N42 million for hotel accommodation.

A member of the committee, Hon. Kehinde Odeneye, who raised the eyebrow on the hotel spending wondered how the VC incurred hotel expenses to the tune of N42 million.

“Then another N100 million for takeoff grant for new departments without actually telling us how many they are and the things needed for the takeoff.

“Also N50 million on workshops and seminars. This is apart from the training grants obtained. Then, there is maintenance of buildings which also is without details,’’ the lawmaker pointed out.

The committee further expressed displeasure at a project of N49 million for road culverts which did not have details of the project description in the documents presented by Prof. Ambali.

The committee also cited another N60 million for environmental upgrading which had no details.

Responding on the N42 million hotel bill, the vice-chancellor said that the institution had a number of memoranda of understandings (MoUs) with many individuals, who were important visitors to the university.

But committee asked Prof. Ambali and his team to leave as it will not attend to them for their defence of the 2016 budget as scheduled.