VCs deny bribing panel, say they only paid money for forex

The Committee of Vice Chancellors of Federal Universities have denied paying money to bribe members of the House Committee investigating the job racketeering in Ministries Departments and Agencies.

The Vice Chancellors at the panel hearing on Friday noted that they paid money into a particular account in order to get some foreign currencies needed for their travel.

The Vice-Chancellor, University of Jos, Prof. Ishaya Tanko who spoke on behalf of the Vice Chancellors when they appeared before the committee said to the best of their knowledge, money that were sent by some Vice Chancellors was meant for foreign exchange for them to attend an international workshop organised for them in Birmingham, the United Kingdom beginning from Tuesday, September 5.

He said “During our last meeting, we requested for two weeks because some of the universities did not come with some of the documents required from them.

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“But we read the very disturbing media publication and I can say that the Vice Chancellors are not part of that.  The Vice Chancellors have not provided any bribe to anybody.

“What I recalled happened was that the next day, there was a workshop for the Vice Chancellors and because there is another international workshop organised for the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, I recalled that a number of people were looking for estacode in the form of foreign exchange that will enable them to travel.

“I also remember that a number of Vice Chancellors were looking for where to get foreign exchange which is reasonable considering the fact that it is difficult to get DTA to travel.  I can confirm that the majority of the Vice Chancellors are going to travel between Saturday and Monday because the training is commencing on Tuesday at Birmingham University.”

He further explained, “Somebody suggested that gentleman and suggested that Vice Chancellors who wish to source foreign exchange from him can transfer some money to him to get foreign exchange to travel.

“To say that Vice Chancellors are transferring money for bribes is completely out of context and not true.  Whoever made the publication refused to find out the facts before going to press.

“ They should have contacted some of the Vice Chancellors to find out the purpose for which they made those transfers.

“I want to assure the committee that we have hope and confidence in this committee because as we speak, I can tell you that more than five programmes of the University of Jos are in danger of not receiving accreditation because of this issue of employment.”