It is big trouble for the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, and the institution’s Registrar, David Suowari, as they have been found guilty of padding up their salaries and allocating money to themselves.
The two top management staff of the institution were found to have illegally allocated some amounts to themselves as allowances illegally.
The National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission has now directed the duo to refund the total of the money paid in excess of their salaries and allowances.
The government agency discovered this secret financial dealing when its officials visited the institution in May as part of an official inspection of the remuneration practices for federal universities to ensure that it is in line with the government policy.
In a letter detailing its findings, signed for the Chairman of the Commission by the Director of Compensation, Chike Ogbechie, and sent to the institution’s Vice Chancellor, the agency under the Presidency said its findings showed that the Vice-Chancellor was being paid total emoluments of N1,970,476.76 monthly, whereas he should not earn more than N922,810.23 if he were paid furniture allowance en bloc earlier, or N1,043,176.79 if he were being paid furniture allowance.
The letter attributed much of the difference to certain allowances which were not approved by the government.
The Commission said it found that the Registrar was being paid N130,692.71 in excess of his due salary of N502,580.25 while the university disaggregated its staff salaries against government’s policy of pay consolidation.
While asking the university to reverse this trend, it directed the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar to refund the cumulative over-payments made to them.
