OAU sealed off for N1.8bn debt
The Punch reports that the gate was sealed off on Wednesday, May 2.
It was reported that the tax officials were accompanied by armed security men.
An official from the university confirmed that the gate was sealed off. He said: “Officials of the Osun State revenue agency sealed off our main gate and the secretariat and the other places this morning.
They came together with armed policemen and civil defense operatives. “They closed the main gate and some members of staff, commercial bus drivers and business operators, especially food vendors and others became agitated and this led to a serious crisis.
The gate was eventually opened but other places remained closed.” Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede who is the vice-chancellor of the institution confirmed the closure of the gate but claimed the university has not defaulted since 2017.
He said: , “It is true they sealed off the place. The truth is that there was a backlog of 2015 and 2016 and we have agreed to be paying N5m every month.
We paid N500m and agreed to be paying N5 m every month. “But from January 2017, we have been paying our normal PAYE deductions every month which is thirty something million, we have been paying. So, we are going to negotiate with them again on it.
“The backlog was caused by under-deduction of PAYE. We have not reneged on any of our obligations since 2017. I am confident that this issue will be resolved.
The Governing Council of the university met with Governor Rauf Aregbesola in March on the same issue and he understood the reason and our pledge to pay it every month.” Meanwhile, the investigative panel set up by the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, to probe the alleged scandal involving The investigative panel set up by the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, to probe the alleged scandal involving Monica Osagie and Professor Richard Akindele, on Tuesday, April 24, prevented the victim from using any legal representation.
One of the members denied entry to the venue was a representative of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). While the venue for the sitting was still kept secret, the panel insisted that Osagie’s lawyers would not be allowed entry, the Punch reports.