By Martin Paul Abuja
National Universities Commission (NUC), has bemoaned frivolous spending by vice-chancellors of federal universities and other non-degree awarding institutions and centres in country. Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, made the observation yesterday at the opening of meeting of NUC with bursars of federal universities and centres.
Rasheed said a situation, where a vice-chancellor was drawing N400 million per annum as furniture allowance was unacceptable, noting that there was also variable salaries structure among the VCs. “Some vice-chancellors are earning up to N1million, while some are receiving over N1.2 million, there should be equilibrium, the circular authorising any action in the university system must be thoroughly studied and understood before implementation,” he said.
He said if there were disparities in earnings and expenditures, it would be diffi cult to explain when invited to explain at the Presidential Accounting Committee (PAC), stressing that this could lead to invitation by ICPC or EFCC. He said the meeting was called to brainstorm on the need for university bursars to study government circulars with a view to maintaining prudence, accountability and transparency in the disbursement of allocations to the universities.
He said there was no way universities could have absolute autonomy, when 100 per cent of salaries were coming from the federal government, adding that “autonomy is limited if you cannot generate revenue to pay salaries.” He said although the commission is the regulatory agency for universities, it did not generate circulars for the running of the system, adding: “NUC only convey circulars mostly coming from Offi ce of Accountant-General of the Federation.”
Chairman, Association of Bursars of Federal Universities, Yahaya Hassan, in his remarks, noted the absence of adherent to established guidelines, rules and regulation in the management of funds in the system. He said accounting profession was centred on honesty, accountability and transparency, adding that “If we work prudently with vice-chancellors, we would save ourselves the trouble of EFCC.”
