Delta poly rector in financial scandal, diverted 85m to purchase cars

The Rector of the Delta state polytechnic, Ozoro in Isoko north local government area, Pro Job Akpodiete has been accused of diverting the sum of 85 million to purchase personal cars without following due process in a petition written and signed by a leader of a group, Mr. Sebastie Agbefe and made available to newsmen specifically accused the Rector of running the institution administration as family affairs.

The petition which was addressed to the state government, has requested for the removal of the Rector, Prof Job Akpodiete for reckless spending and misappropriation of the institution funds.

The petition read in parts; “Our attention has been drawn to the multiple cases of suspected fraud and financial indiscipline against extant laws by the Rector of the Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro and we hereby formally drawn your attention to the same. Staff of the school who for obvious reasons do not want their identity known alleges as follows:

“That the Rector without due process and advertisement of a job of that magnitude as required under the Delta State Procurement Law awarded the construction of a guest house at an unknown cost and has disbursed over N90,000,000.00 (Ninety million naira) only to one Engr. H. I. Akumune suspected to be fronting for him.

“That the Rector with a reckless abandon embarked and bought vehicles at a whooping sum of N85,000,000.00 (eighty five million naira) at an inflated rate, in the face so-called lack of fund that has practically crippled the activities of the school while staff sometimes remain unpaid for several months.

“That the Rector has been involved in the recruitment of both academic and non-academic staff without recourse to the extant laws of Delta and more so this employment tainted with ethnic coloration. The Rector and the management of the school are heavily involved in contract racketeering and kick-backs running into hundreds of millions of naira.

“That the staff of the school of Isoko extraction are grossly marginalized and subjected to daily intimidation, something that we find unacceptable.

“These activities of the Rector, if unchecked threatens the existence of the institution as it has been reported that several departments of the school have failed or don’t have the requisite accreditations from professional academic bodies and the non-accreditation and withdrawal of accreditation has been linked to the lack of funds.

“We hereby demand for the immediate removal of the said Prof. Akpodiete while urging your government to investigate the finances of the school under Prof. Akpodiete and to take appropriate action.” the petitioners added.

But when contacted, the rector of the institution, Prof. Akpodiete, denied the allegations, saying all approvals and release of funds were consented to by the institution’s governing council.