Gov. Bello suspends VC, Rector for disobeying directive on TSA

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has ordered the immediate suspension of the Vice Chancellor of Kogi State University, Ayangba and the Rector of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja.

The state Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, who confirmed this in Lokoja on Monday, said that the Vice Chancellor, Mohammed Abdulkadir and the Rector, Muhammed Atureta, were suspended for insubordination.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the suspension of the duo was due to their non-compliance with the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy of the state government.

Mr Fanwo said the Chief Medical Director of the State Specialist Hospital, Ahmed Attah, had, on February 7, also been suspended for similar infractions.

“The governor was irked by their failure to comply with the new financial directive,” the commissioner said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new financial guideline directs all MDAs to pay all revenues into the TSA.

Mr Fanwo explained that the governor had earlier, at a meeting with heads of MDAs, warned that any disobedience to the directive would not be tolerated.

He dismissed insinuations in some quarters that the governor’s action was political, saying that it was purely administrative.

Mr Fanwo also called on management staff of agencies under the ministry to fully comply with the new financial guidelines, warning that anyone found wanting would not be shielded.

At a meeting with the management staff on Monday in Lokoja, Mr Fanwo said the policy was introduced by the government in the best interest of the system and, therefore, called for total compliance.

(NAN)