The Provost of the Bill and Melinda Gates College of Health Technology, Ningi, Bauchi State Garba Hussaini has described the allegations of admission malpractices against the college by online medium as fictitious.
Hussaini spoke when he addressed journalists at the Secretariat of the Bauchi State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Bauchi, over the weekend.
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“The allegations contained in articles on the online medium were nothing but a means to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it, and it was fabricated by some of the staffers of the college in order to paint the governing council black,” Garba Hussaini said.
He added that “The two false reports say admission malpractice, assault on school laws threaten academic quality at Bauchi State College of Health Technology, Ningi; that chairman Governing Council decides who gets admission.
“The fictitious publications were instigated by some aggrieved academic staff of the college who, before the constitution of the present governing council, had a firm grip on the college when they served as directors of schools.”
The provost alleged that such academic staff were found to be involved in high level of corruption that stinks to high heavens, which they had perfected over the years to the extent of lining their pockets with illegal money that was supposed to go to the college’s coffers.
“With the coming of the present governing council, which was appointed to address the myriad of problems bedeviling the college that have stifled its growth as a result of corrupt activities, to find out problem hindering the development of the college and the means by which it can be addressed as well as to block financial leakages in the college,” he said.
Hussaini said, “At the end of its assignment, the committee submitted report to the council and it was discovered that some of the problems hindering the development of the college was the overstaying of some officers on tenured appointment which has made them assume themselves as superior to the governing council.”
The provost said that the committee discovered that due to their overstayed tenure in office, the sacked directors tried to usurp powers meant for the governing council by making it difficult for the smooth running of the college by the newly appointed provost and his management team.
He alleged that the officers were found to engage in illegal collection of unauthorised fees from parents and guardians of students, engaged in illegal admission of students. “As a result of that, some parents petitioned the Bauchi State House of Assembly.”
The provost said “all that was fabricated by the officers was nothing short of corruption fighting back as the college under the present governing council is doing its possible best towards returning the college back to its former glory.”
On the allegations that the daughter of the chairman of the Governing Council had been dismissed and readmitted to.the college, Hussaini said “examinations in which students had access to the questions before conduct of the examination, was an error on the part of a former Director.
He said the then Director of School of laboratory, sciences refuse to utilize the departmental examinations office, and unilaterally decided to use means, not sanctioned by the college, which led to the leakages of the examinations.
“It was then decided that the examinations be cancelled and be taken again by the students and those identified were asked to withdraw as a punitive measure and, if they so wish, can reapply at the next session to which they did and those of them that passed the prescribed examination were admitted as fresh students including the daughter of the chairman Governing Council.”
He said it’s unfortunate that the former director could resort to the use of half truths, misinformation and outright lies to address personal grievances,
“I have never coerced any officer in the college to do my bidding as alleged. I have always maintained open door policy and allowed everyone to contribute towards the development of the college,” he said.
The provost urged public and organizations to disregard all the allegations against the college its the handiwork of insubordination and advised journalists to always cross check their facts and balance their stories before going to press.
