Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has denied social media claims that he is pressuring the Vice Chancellor of Kwara State University(KWASU), Professor R. Naalah to falsely admit that the institution has received subventions from 2015 to date.
Speaking through a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Dr. Muyideen Akorede, Governor Ahmed also rejected as untrue the allegations that his administration diverted KWASU subventions and challenged those behind the false publication to provide any shred of evidence to support their phantom claims.
According to him, KWASU bank records and budget figures are available for verification by those interested in the truth and Kwara state's interest.
Providing further clarification, Alhaji Ahmed stated that in the light of financial challenges, the state government reviewed KWASU's finances in 2015 and concluded that the university could meet its basic obligations such as salaries from existing fees and levies while the state government took responsibility for infrastructure and accreditation costs.
On account of that review, he said, the state government stopped KWASU's monthly subvention of N144m but made provision for capital expenditure and accreditation in subsequent budgets.
While maintaining that the state government has provided KWASU with an Engineering Complex, new School of Business and Governance and ongoing construction of Osi and Ilesha Baruba campuses, the state governor pointed out that the decision to stop subventions was sound as KWASU has since met its obligations without recourse to the state government.
Governor Ahmed, therefore, denounced the claim that the government diverted KWASU's subvention as blatant falsehood designed to blackmail the administration and cause disaffection in the state, as the state's budget had no such provision.
Stating that his administration always follows due process and promotes high levels of transparency, Governor Ahmed described the brains behind the campaign of falsehood as enemies of the state who manufacture lies to create discord between the government and the people.
Alhaji Ahmed said the people of Kwara State should have realised by now that those behind the serial falsehood targeted at his administration are against the state and must not be allowed to destroy it with concocted lies.
"Kwara State is bigger than any of us and cannot be sacrificed for individual or group interest. My administration has run a transparent government based on due process and the rule of law. These individuals should, therefore, allow the Transition Implementation Committee to do its work of midwifing a smooth change of government that will benefit Kwarans instead pushing their narrow selfish agenda through blackmail and obvious falsehood", said Governor Ahmed.
