Warns against extortion

By Steve Oko – Aba

The new Vice-Chancellor of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, MOUAU, Professor Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, has pledged to ensure the fulfilment of all necessary conditions needed for the restoration of all de-registered programmes of the university.

Professor Iwe who made the pledge during his familiarisation tour of Colleges in the institution vowed to spare no efforts in repositioning and taking the university to greater heights.

A number of non-agriculture- related programmes hitherto run by the university were de-registered during the administration of the immediate-past Vice-Chancellor, Professor Francis Otunta, a development that led to a sharp drop in students’ population.

His predecessor, Professor Hilary Edeoga, had in a bid to expand the university, introduced so many programmes to meet up with the increasing demands of admission seekers but the then Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbe, directed that specialised universities restrict themselves to their core areas.

Some lecturers and non-academic staff were laid off while some were redeployed to related Departments following the clamp down on the new programmes despite being accredited by the National University Commission, NUC, and the relevant professional bodies.

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But following requests by concerned staff including the Dean, College of Management Science, COLMAS, Professor Anthony Obayi, the VC promised to fast-track all the necessary conditions needed for the permanent restoration of the affected disciplines.

Some of the courses delisted in COLMAS alone include Economics, Accountacy, Marketing, and Business Administration.

The VC also promised to ensure the protection of rights and privileges of staff, and to provide the enabling facilities for efficient service delivery.

He, however, cautioned the staff against extortion of students or indulgence in any form of duplicity, warning that his administration has zero tolerance for corruption.

Professor Iwe who is also the National President of Scripture Union, SU, urged the staff of the university to eschew all forms of questionable attitude, while soliciting their maximum support and cooperation in his efforts to reposition the university.

His words: “Lecturers should never compel students to give them money for anything.

“I have never given money to any teacher of mine, from primary school to Ph.D level.

“Any teacher who extorts money from students will remain poor. Such money is cursed.”

The VC also said that “lecturers are not meant to compel students to steal or indulge in other vices to give them money”, adding that “for me, the hallmark of a teacher is contentment.”

“I maintain that lecturers are not to receive money from students but should focus on doing the right things like building friendships for collaborative research.”

Vanguard News Nigeria