Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has suspended the Provost of the State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Prof. Jimoh Afolabi, on the grounds of financial impropriety.

A statement by the spokesperson for the governor, Olawale Rasheed, said Afolabi was also found culpable of concealment of official information/records; and failure to update the Governing Council on the important issues of the college.

 

The management of the college had recently accused the chairman of the Council, Dr. Peter Babalola, of mismanagement of about N200 million about five months after assuming office.

 

But Babalola denied mismanaging the college funds and accused Afolabi and the erstwhile Bursar, Dr. Olanrewaju Oyedeji, of graft.

 

He also announced the suspension of the provost.

 

 

Adeleke subsequently set up a probe panel chaired by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Kazeem Akinleye, which investigated the allegations.

 

 

The panel reversed the suspension of Afolabi, while parties in the crisis were told to appear before the three-man committee.

 

Unveiling further details as contained in the interim report of the probe on Friday, Rasheed said Adeleke approved the committee’s decision which absolved Babalola of any wrongdoing and, “approved the immediate suspension of the Provost of Ila College of Education. The governor also approved the recommendation of the committee that the Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr Peter Babalola, should remain in office as there is no proven case of abuse of power or financial wrongdoings against him.

 

“The allegation of over N200m fraud leveled against the council chairman was found to be unsubstantiated with documentary proof or transaction details. The cash advance of  N3m to the council chairman was found to be within the college’s financial regulations with all documentation verified by the committee.

 

“Based on a thorough review, the committee discovered that the allegation of N200m fraud leveled against the Chairman of the Governing Council is untrue, diversionary, baseless, and fallacious. Documentary evidence (voucher) revealed that he only collected N3m as a cash advance which is officially allowed.”

 

On the provost, the committee said it reviewed three previous reports of investigations into allegations of financial malfeasance, abuse of power and corruption leveled against him dating from past administrations.

 

“Sequel to the findings of the investigative panel, the Provost of Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Prof. Jimoh Afolabi, is hereby suspended on the grounds of financial impropriety, concealment of official information/records; and failure to update the Governing Council on the important issues of the College. The Committee is billed to submit its final report at a later date,” the statement signed by Olawale read.

 

Credit: punchng.com