NTI refutes N1.5bn fraud allegation

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The National Teachers Institute (NTI) has refuted fraud allegation of the sum of N1.5billion involving the institute in Kaduna state.

A statement by the management of the institute and made available to the media in Kaduna yesterday, said its attention was drawn to some national dailies, insinuating a fraud of N1.5billion in the institute’s 2012 capital projects, with specific reference to contracts awarded in 2012 MDGs for the printing of training manuals and customized CDs plates.

According to it, “The institute has never, in its 38 years of existence, awarded contracts to the tune of N1.5 billion in any particular year.

“Any insinuation to the effect that contract valued at 1.5 billion was awarded without following due process in year 2012 is baseless and without recourse to the statutory releases in that particular year by the government.

“The institute has a procurement unit with competent staff that are charged with the responsibility of processing tender for bidding and other procurement activities, in accordance to the Procurement Act 2007. The requirement of the Act was implemented in the award of the contract for the training manuals and customized CDs plates in 2012.”

The management further appealed to the general public to disregard the insinuation, which it said, was the handiwork of some elements that were unsuccessful in the 2012 contract bid and mischievously dragged the institute to court.

“However, as at today, there is an existing court order that restrained them from unnecessarily harassing the institute. The institute would not allow anybody to put it into disrepute and it is committed to seek redress where possible, in accordance to the provision of the law.

“The National Teachers Institute, Kaduna needs to declare that all its activities, not only on procurement, but on all matters that affect the general administration of the institute are done under the guidance of law.