Chuks Okocha in Abuja
University of Ibadan (UI) has said contrary to reports, its former auditor is not dead but alive.
The university’s Bursar, Dr. Michael Alatise, disclosed this, assuring that the audited accounts of the university would be ready for submission in the next eight weeks to the office of the Auditor General of the Federation.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja after his last week appearance at the House of Representatives Committee on Public Account, Alatise dismissed the report that the former auditor engaged by the institution was dead.
He explainefd that the university accounts were prepared in 2019 but the delay in audit report was due to the need for a proper handing over from retired Auditors, Messrs M.O. Kehinde & Co Chartered Accountants, to the new Auditors, Messrs Oyedele Akinbode & Co. Chartered Accountants.
The bursar said Kehinde was also not being paid as erroneously stated, adding that if any payment was made in 2019 or 2018, it must have been paid to the serving Auditors, Messrs Oyedele Akinbode & Co.
“All reports of the audited accounts of the University of Ibadan still outstanding to date would be submitted this year to the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation,” Alatise said.
He said contrary to misrepresentation of his presentation when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, the university has been auditing its account.
The bursar assured that a new firm of Chartered Accountants, Oyedele Akinbode & Co has taken over the auditing of UI accounts, and that another firm to be selected from the currently shortlisted ones to be interviewed in collaboration with the office of the Auditor General of the Federation very soon would join to clear the backlog.
Alatise added that the firm was working on some of the accounts which should be ready in the next eight weeks for submission to the office of the Auditor General of the Federation.
“The university council and management had resolved to ensure that UI has no outstanding audited accounts by the end of this year. All materials to give effect to this resolution are ready. All of these were mentioned to the House Committee on Public Accounts,” the bursar said.
Alatise decried the misleading reports being peddled around on his recent appearance before the House of Representatives Committee.
“Last year, we placed adverts in the newspapers for the appointment of another firm that will takeover from Oyedele Akinbode & Co, the firm that is handling the auditing of our accounts presently and seven firms have already been shortlisted.
“There were some reasons for the delay but we have all the materials that is helping the auditors to do their job. Every institution is to be audited by a firm for a period of five years maximum before another company can takeover. The firm that is retiring after five years must have smooth handshake with the new firm before the university can send the report to the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation. All reports would be submitted this year. That is what I am assuring the members of the National Assembly,” Alatise said.
