The Presidency has directed the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University,
Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, as well as his registrar to refund over
payment of salaries running into millions of naira. The Presidency issued this
directive through the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
The over payments were said to have been discovered during the commission’s
visit to the institution on May 12, 2015 to carry out an inspection of FUO’s
remuneration practices vis-a-vis the extant government’s pay policy. These
concerns were raised in a letter from the NSIWC to Aluko, signed for the
Chairman of the Commission by the Director of Compensation, Chike Ogbechie.
The Registrar of the university, David Suowari, was also directed to refund
cumulatively the sum of N130, 692.71 per month in excess of his due salary.
The VC and the registrar were accused of appropriating certain allowances to
themselves which were not approved by the government.
The commission said, “The findings of the inspection in respect of your institution
(Federal University, Otuoke) were as follow:
“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.
“Much of the difference was attributed to certain allowances which were not
approved by the government.”
In the case of the registrar, the commission said he was being paid N130,692.71
in excess of his due salary of N502,580.25.
The commission also said the university disaggregated its staff salaries against
the government’s policy of pay consolidation.
The NSIWC, therefore, directed the university to stop “the wrongful practices” and
comply with relevant rules and rates.
The commission added, “We hereby direct the vice-chancellor and the registrar to
refund the cumulative overpayments made to them.
“You are to report to the commission in writing, your compliance with this
directive within four weeks of this letter.”
It will be recalled that Prof. Mobolaji Aluko became the Vice-Chancellor of the
university in February 2011.
But reacting to the commission’s position, Aluko said in a text message to our
correspondent that there was neither disaggregation of salaries nor overpayment
of salaries.
The vice-chancellor said, “Rather, pension and health insurance allowances were
due to three of us, Diaspora Vice-Chancellors who are on Sabbatical from our
foreign universities, and co-paid monthly in naira to us for payment to those
foreign universities.
“Without that concession occurring, our own local salaries would have been wiped
out completely, and we could not have accepted the job.”
Aluko wondered why the issue was coming up in the fifth and final year of their
tenure.
“However, the need for accountability is welcome, and Salaries and Wages
Commission will be fully reconciled to the full facts,” the VC stated.