The Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education Owerri, Dr. Mrs. Jovita Ogu has unequivocally stated that there is no crisis in Alvan as believed by some people following publications in various print and social media platforms.
She revealed this on Tuesday, 15th October, 2023 in the school premises during a press conference witnessed by the Chairmen, past chairmen and executive members of Academic Staff Union, Non Academic Staff Union of the University, Senior lecturers and some principal officers of the institution.
According to her, it is the strict adherence to and application of the stipulated rules of the National Universities Commission (NUC) for staff redesignation and placement in the university that has generated paddling of rumours and fabrications in media spaces.
Her words, “The NUC has an already long established set of laws, rules, code of conduct and regulations that guide the process of any transition from an already existing institution to a university. Those set of rules regulate evaluation and placement processes of both Academic and Non-Teaching Staff. To this extent, an academic Staff in a College of Education system, for instance, hardly retains the same rank on transition to the University system. This, for example, explains why a Chief lecturer in the then College here is re-designated to a lower rank pending the outcome of assessment.
” The university community wishes to categorically state, without any fear of contradiction, and with every sense of responsibility that the unfounded allegations being levelled against some Principal Officers of the university are products of grave evil machination, and fallacies from the pit of hell which only exist in the grievous and fatal imagination of the disgruntled, faceless, mercenary inventors, who have been hired to distract our smooth and swift transition process from the college to the university system with effortless ease, courtesy of the zeal, assiduity and resilience of our amiable and indefatigable Acting Vice Chancellor, her Management Team and Council”.
Ogu advised outsiders who are nursing the ambition of being transferred to the university as Vice Chancellors to stop any form of instigation to cause trouble or distractions, adding that there is no vacancy in Alvan because the university has the requisite manpower in every ramification to stand strong and wield every challenge.
She described the Acting Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Ngozi Stella Lemchi as a very energetic, hardworking, selfless, trustworthy and God fearing woman who has so far exhibited great capacity in ensuring a commendable transition process of the university and has championed the collective welfare of every staff of the university, while also working tirelessly to ensure that the academic programs of the university are unmatched.
Critical stakeholders in attendance were Dr. Eze Mmaduako, chairman, Non Academic Staff Union (NASU), Dr. BBC Onwuabuoke, former chairman of ASUU, Dr. Chinenye Udeze, Representative of the Deans, Dr. Charles Ukwuegbulam, the oldest staff in Alvan, Dr. Maurice Njoku, Representative of New Generation of Lecturers, Comrade Chika Oformata, Representative of Non Teaching Staff, Dr. Ijeomah Nwaeboh, Representative of the Teaching Staff, Dr Charles Ejiogu, Representative of Alumni Association of the institution amongst many others.
