FG panels ask varsities to recover N62.9m salary advances
FG panels ask varsities to recover N62.9m salary advances
The Whitepaper report of the Presidential Visitation Panels to federal universities which was released earlier in 2023 has revealed that some staff members at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta; Federal University, Wukari and the Federal University Kashere failed to retire nothing less than N62.85m worth of salary advance and loans.
The panels noted that some of the unremitted advances and loans were over five years old in some cases.
Though the panels also fingered staff members of other universities, such as the Federal University of Technology, Owerri; and Federal University Birnin-Kebbi among others, our correspondent could not immediately verify the amount of outstanding salary advance yet to be remitted by the staff of those institutions.
The PUNCH reports that the Federal Government constituted visitation panels for 38 federal universities and four inter-university centres.
The panels were given 10 terms of reference and were asked to look into the conditions and activities of the selected universities between 2016 and 2020.
Though the panels submitted their reports to the former Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, in 2021, the Whitepapers were not presented until 2023.
However, the reports obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday revealed that while looking through the financial statements of these universities, the panels observed that huge amounts of unretired salary advances and staff loans obtained by staff were largely unremitted.
At FUTO, the panel advised that the university eliminate every form of delay in the retirement of advances by staff. At the Federal University, Birnin-Kebbi, the panel accused the university management of giving loans to staff who had previously failed to retire old loans.
At the Federal University, Wukari in Taraba State, the panel said, “Staff members were being granted both salary and cash advance. It was observed that the rate of request for salary advance was high and management was advised to limit the rate of grant of salary advance to avoid financial embarrassment on staff.
BREAKING: Ogun LG boss regains freedom from DSS custody
“The Bursar assured that he would reduce the frequency of recommendation for the approval. Cash advances, on the other hand, were being retired expeditiously as seen in the advances’ ledger. At the time of the visitation, only about 51 staff were still having unretired advance, totaling N1, 974, 855.”
At the Federal University, Kashere, the panel urged the school’s vice-chancellor and bursar to refund the balance of the loan taken.
It said, “The vice-chancellor and registrar should refund the balance of the loan granted them before the completion of their tenure. The refund of the sum of N14, 604, 670 and N35, 533, 5000 transferred from the personnel account by the vice-chancellor and the bursar should be retired fully and accounted for.”
At the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, the panel said, “As of December 2020, a total sum of N10,746,112.00 as cash advance was due for retirement. Some have been due for retirement for upward of five years.”
While giving their recommendations, the panels said, “Reasons for the long existence of cash advance need to be investigated. There is
probability among others, that the money was not used for the purpose it was obtained. In line with the provisions of the Financial Regulation of the Federal Government of Nigeria, officers responsible for the advance accounts and records must examine such records each month and are also responsible for bringing to the notice of the accounting officer (vice-chancellor)any items which are overdue for settlement.
“In compliance with the terms of FR 1420, the vice-chancellor as the chief accounting officer should ensure that all advances granted to officers are fully recovered. The university should ensure that all overdue advances are recovered without delay. Anyone whose name appears in the schedule of unretired advances should be made to retire immediately.
“Deductions of the value of the unretired advance from the salary and any other personal emolument of the affected members of staff should commence immediately. It should be noted that the lack of any advice regarding the retirement of any advance does not absolve an officer from repayment or retirement of such advance.”
