By IFEOMA AKA

Enugu State House of Assembly has summoned the Board of Directors of Bluetag Technologies Ltd. in connection with alleged diversion of over N120 million from Enugu State College of Education Technical (ESCET).

The House also summoned the management of ESCET.

The Chairman of the Assembly’s Committee on Education, Mr. James Akadu, issued the summons on Thursday in Enugu during an investigative hearing with some staff of Bluetag Technologies.

Akadu said that the allegedly-diverted money belonged to ESCET and was diverted from school fees payment managed by Bluetag Technologies.

“The amount involved, according to ESCET, is over N120 million.

“You people know the population of ESCET, it is about 2,800 students.

“You know the economic strength of that college, there is no money there; teachers are being owed, lecturers are being owed, and we are talking about such a huge amount missing.

“School fees that are supposed to improve the IGR of the school are being siphoned,” Akadu said.

He said that the committee detected the alleged diversion during its oversight function at the institution.

The lawmaker regretted that the alleged diversion was happening at a time when ESCET was finding it difficult to pay workers’ salaries and meet other financial obligations.

He promised that the committee would get to the root of the matter.

“When the government does not have enough money to give necessary subventions to schools, instead of the IGR generated being remitted to the school, some people are using it for personal businesses.

“I want you people to go home, tell the chairman, directors and management team of Bluetag that they must be present in our next meeting,” the lawmaker said.

In his submission, the Chief Operating Officer of the Bluetag Technologies, Mr Samuel Imene, said that the company had started an internal investigation as regards the allegedly-diverted money.

Imene said that the company was doing a forensic audit in connection with the allegedly-diverted fund.

He said that five staff of the company, including the administrative officer, had been suspended over the alleged diversion and were undergoing interrogations. (NAN)

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