The attention of the Rector of the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua has been drawn to a lead story in one of the editions of Global Concord Newspaper alleging that operatives of the Economic and Finance Crimes Commission EFCC, last week stormed the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, quizzed and arrested some top management staff of the institution.
The report made the following weird claims:
* That Dr. Israel Affia was arrested by the EFCC last week over alleged embezzlement of N2.81billion·
* That the EFCC invited the Rector to explain how N2.81billion got missing from the school’s coffers.
* That the 21st Matriculation ceremony of the Polytechnic held Saturday February 20, 2016 was marred by violence following a deadly cult clash between rival cult groups in the Polytechnic.
* That the 2012/2013 TETFUND intervention meant for the construction of classrooms and offices and equipping of Mechanical Engineering Department has been diverted.
* That the Polytechnic has lost accreditation in 14 of her programmes.
IT IS NECESSARY TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES AS FOLLOWS:
1. That the Rector of the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, Dr. Israel Affia was neither invited nor arrested by operatives of the EFCC last week. Also, no staff of the Polytechnic has been invited, quizzed or arrested by the EFCC.
2. That the Polytechnic did not receive from the Akwa Ibom State Government, Federal Government Agencies or generated from her internal revenue sources the sum of N2.81 billion which the reporter said was either missing or embezzled.
Throughout the 2015 fiscal year, the Polytechnic did not access funds from the State Government. Reports from the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Economic Planning published in local tabloids early this month are in public domain for interested members of the public to verify.
Throughout the 2015 fiscal year, the Polytechnic did not access funds from the State Government. Reports from the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Economic Planning published in local tabloids early this month are in public domain for interested members of the public to verify.
3. That the 21st Matriculation ceremony of the Polytechnic was successful. The event was graced by the Commissioner for Education represented by the Registrar of the College of Arts and Sciences, Nung Ukim, Mrs Peace Dickson, who lauded management for “making the institution one of the best Polytechnic in Nigeria”.
The ceremony covered by correspondents from local and national media organisations ended without hitches.
The ceremony covered by correspondents from local and national media organisations ended without hitches.
4. That management of the Polytechnic led by Dr. Israel Affia has since completed, inaugurated and put to use all TETFUND projects approved for the institution in 2012/2013. These projects are three blocks of twelve(12) classrooms, and office block. The inscription TETFUND project 2012/2013 is clearly marked on the edifices, in case there is a need for verification.
5. The Polytechnic has NOT lost accreditation of any of her approved programmes. All programmes due for re-accreditation have been put forward to the National Board for Technical Education for re-assessment. Instead of losing programmes, good news is that management of the Polytechnic is consolidating plans to introduce new programmes as Higher National Diploma in Architecture, Estate Management, Quantity Surveying, Building Technology, Urban and Regional Planning, Civil Engineering, and Electrical Electronics Engineering.
See photographs of some of the TETFUND Projects
