NOUN debunks financial allegations against deputy gov

The Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria, Prof. Peters Olufemi, has debunked the allegations that the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Mr Monday Onyeme, is involved in a financial scandal while he was a bursar of the institution.

Recall that the former Minister of State for Education, Mr Kenneth Gbagi, had alleged that Onyeme was dismissed from NOUN for forgery and financial irregularities.

Olufemi made the clarification when he led the management staff of the NOUN on a courtesy visit to Onyeme at his office in the Government House, Asaba.

He said, “There was never a time when a panel was set up by anybody concerning Sir Monday Onyeme or indeed the Bursary Department of the university.

“I have been in that university before Onyeme; I am a pioneer staff of the NOUN and I am quite familiar with all the things that happened there.

“I am just hearing this fictitious allegation for the first time at this meeting that there was such a thing or that there was even such a thought.

“Sir Monday Onyeme, as we know him at the university left with the leave of absence to be the Chairman, Delta States Board of Internal Revenue, and at the appropriate time, when he was sure he was not coming back, he requested to be taken off duties.

“These records are there, he was never involved in any malfeasance either in terms of his professional field, which is accounting, bursary or in behavioral relationship with anybody.

“He remains one of the great exponents from NOUN and indeed, if it was true that there was anything like that, the whole management team of the NOUN, led by myself, the VC, would not come here.

“We came to rejoice with him in order to show the appreciation that NOUN produces worthy people, both our students and our staff members; we have been here for two days and we will be going back to Abuja.”

The VC, therefore, charged the public to disregard such information and commended the Delta State Government for creating the enabling environment for NOUN to operate in the state.