The National Association of Polytechnic Students has staged a protest against the alleged misappropriation of over N20 billion in intervention funds earmarked for the Cement Technology Institute of Nigeria.
Led by their President, Muniru Opeyemi, the protesters marched to the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment.
They presented petitions to the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, and the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, respectively.
The students demanded an immediate investigation into the alleged diversion of funds intended for student training and the development of the CTIN. They also called on the Federal Government to dissolve the institute’s board without delay.
Opeyemi emphasized the need for a thorough probe, arrest, and prosecution of individuals implicated in the mismanagement of the intervention funds, which amounted to over N20 billion.
The funds, collected as levies on imported cement over a decade ago, were intended for technical training purposes during Nigeria’s period of cement importation.
The petition submitted to the EFCC chairman, titled “Petition on Allegation of Diversion of N20bn Cement Technology Institute of Nigeria Intervention Fund,” condemned the irresponsible handling of the funds. It cited findings from independent investigations, attributing the recent surge in cement prices to the mismanagement and diversion of the intervention funds.
The students expressed their disappointment and called for accountability, stressing that as beneficiaries of technical education, they were entitled to the proper utilization of the funds for their development.
They urged the EFCC to swiftly launch an investigation into the matter to uncover the truth behind the alleged misappropriation at the Cement Technology Institute of Nigeria.
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