Few corrupt staff victimising UNIOSUN -VC

By Olawale Adewale, The Nigerian Voice, Osogbo 

The Vice Chancellor of Osun State University, Osogbo, Professor Labode Popoola has said that a few corrupt staff of the university are victimising the institution.

In a chat with The Nigerian Voice in his office at the main campus of UNIOSUN in Osogbo, Popoola accused some staff of the university of corrupt practices and that they have been resisting all attempt to expose and stop them from perpetrating corruption in the institution.

According to the VC, "the Chairman of NASU in UNIOSUN, Mr Isaiah Fayemi got himself entangled in a financial mess involving missing booklets of receipts of the university. Three booklets of receipts could not be accounted for."

"The former NASU Secretary, Mr Olugbeja, a level 3 staff was illegally awarded a Teffund grant for a conference in the United States of America but unfortunately, he absconded from the release. Despite this, his monthly salary was not stopped until due process was followed".

All these occurred before my assumption of duties in November, 2016. The management of the university approved the report of the investigative panel that Mr Fayemi and others involved in the booklets of receipts scam should face the staff Disciplinary Committee. Since that decision was taken, the university has not known peace.

He said his refusal to allow Fayemi and other corrupt staff of the university to embezzle money was the reason for the persistent crises in the university. The vice chancellor maintained that he would rather resign his appointment than collude with any group of persons to perpetrate fraud.

Popoola said the disruption of the 2018 convocation ceremony of the university by the some staff was shameful, adding that the crisis in the institution was not likely to end because he would not bend the rules.

Popoola said he blocked leakages in the university and that the corrupt staff were not happy that he blocked /stopped them from making money illegally. “The school was spending about N11 million to conduct exams before I became the VC but now we are spending less than N3 million for the exams and they are angry over this."

While explaining that he was committed to ensuring welfare of the staff of the university, Popoola said in spite of the financial challenges, the staff of UNIOSUN are getting their salaries promptly and wondered why anyone should depend on money from fraudulent sources.