Provost of the Ogun State College of Health Technology, OSCOHTECH, Ilese Ijebu, Ogun State, Dr Abiodun Oladunjoye, who was recently accused of corruption and abuse of office, has again been fingered in fresh controversy bothering on financial recklessness and attempt to force a second term in office.
It will be recalled that a newspaper medium last week broke the news of Oladunjoye’s many infarctions which include the purchase of three vehicles at an inflated cost of N60million, resurfacing with granite, less than a kilometre of road for N25million, which was washed off by flood in just eight months.
Other allegations include his inability to secure accreditation and reaccreditation for ND and HND programmes from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for five years running, siphoning of monies deposited at Catland Microfinance Bank by students of the medical imaging of the college for practical posting experience; among several others.
In a swift reaction, through the institution’s PRO, Ayodele Alaga, the embattled provost denied the allegations saying “they are false, politically motivated and meant to prevent his reappointment for a second term”.
They described the report as false stating that all financial transactions entered into followed due process and had approvals of the ministry of education.
However, more allegations have trailed the reaction of the provost.
Newsheadline247 spoke with both academic and non-academic staff of the college on the condition of anonymity and they insisted that the allegations are true.
One of them said, “Mr Oladunjoye should refute that he failed to secure accreditation for the ND and HND programmes of the College by publishing the accreditation letter issued to him since this programmes expired in 2015; as a quick check at the NBTE Accreditation Directory on page 102 showed all the accredited programmes has expired”.
Another staff shed more light on the car procurements saying, “Mr Oladunjoye spent N13m to procure second hand (not the approved tokunbo) hummer bus and a 2004 model Toyota Camry (Orobo) for Mr Ogunbanjo an unconfirmed staff in the Library which is valued at N1.1m. Mr. Provost should show purchase receipt that tallies with N13m gotten for these vehicles”.
In similar vein, “Oladunjoye got approvals to purchase a 2019 Toyota Corolla but ended up buying a lesser Toyota Camry 2017 model and pocketed the differential amount. It should be noted that as at 16th March 2019 that the approval for the Toyota Corolla 2019 & Toyota Camry 2009 was given by Ministry of Education, there was no Commissioner in place as she had resigned to contest election. It was the Permanent Secretary that approved the N21.990million for the cars. Did the PS have such wide powers? That is one of the collaboration between the Ministry top officials with the provost to embezzle the College’s money”.
Another source hinted that the provost lied when he claimed that the report of the visitation panel is in public domain.
“For the umpteenth time the visitation panel sent to the college in 2011 raised observation about his academic qualifications and the petition against him by the College ASUP Chapter was swept under the carpet in a grand conspiracy by the leadership of the Ministry of Education as the Mrs Oloko report remained inside the drawer of the ministry leadership till today”.
Investigation by our reporter indicated that the current crisis is connected with the attempt by the provost to remain in office for another term. An ASUP member of the college, describing the move as an act of desperation, said Oladunjoye has been lobbying and bribing his way around the ministry of education to be retained by the new administration.
“The provost is no longer eligible to vie for a second term in office. Aside from his corrupt tendencies, non-performance and intimidation of staffs of the college, he is over 60 years old and has spent 43 years in the service having joined the service in 1976”.
“Contrary to his claims, no one is politically victimizing the provost as he has subdued all dissenting voice in the college. For example, we are aware that the name of the college’s Public Relations Officer was surreptitiously used to sign the press release used by the provost to refute the allegation. Unfortunately, the PRO cannot state otherwise for fear of a backlash”.
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Some stakeholders in the institution are of the firm belief that “Oladunjoye is no longer fit to continue in that office and have called on Governor Dapo Abiodun to institute a committee to look into these allegations and halt further decay in OSCOHTECH”
