A group known as Concerned Imo Professionals,CIP has called on the management of Imo State University, Owerri to as matter of urgency; implement the Government White Paper that emanated from the report of the 13-man Visitation panel constituted by the former Governor Emeka Ihedioha administration to look into the affairs of the university.
The group in a release signed by Nwachukwu Michael and Prince Onyinyechi Odor as Chairman and Secretary respectively which copy was made available to our reporter stated that, “The Imo State Government had earlier, by a letter SGI/S,0011/TR/X of 12th November, 2019 set up a 13 man Visitation panel lo look Into the affairs of the University from 2012 to 2019 during the tenure of His Excellency, Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedloha with Prof Chinedu O Nebo as the Chairman.
The group advised those affected by the whitepaper but who feel they are innocent of allegations against them to approach the court as court is the only authority or body that can set aside the whitepaper.
“While we applaud the sincerity of purpose of that Administration, and the high level of administrative competence exhibited by the present Government of Imo State led by the Governor His Excellency Senator Hope Uzodinma in sustaining the spirit of that panel, along other panels of the Government, we frown at the kid glove approach by the university in the implementation of the Government White Paper on the indicted staff of the University”.
The release further stated that, “it should be noted that, instead of the Acting Registrar, being the Secretary to the university Governing Council to do the needful by sending the findings of the visitation panel to the already established and well constituted standing University disciplinary committee, for appropriate action against the indicted staff of the university, he resorted to sentimental approach by setting up a KANGARO committee of biased characters to deceive the Management of the institution. The university has a well enshrined composition of a disciplinary committee and not the friends of the indicted staff and their cronies”.
The group requested that the university management should implement the provisions of the Whitepaper without fear or favour, failure of which we shall, as responsible citizens of Imo State seek redress in a court of competent jurisdiction.Finally, they vowed to vehemently reject any ploy by the university to set aside the provisions of the Imo State Government Whitepaper to exonerate the indicted staff of the university including the following; Engr Michael C. Anumaka,Dr Samson I.Ekwonna, Mr Richard Omu, etc.
