By Ikechukwu Odu

The Management of the Federal College of Education, Eha-Amufu, FCEE, Enugu State, on Sunday, debunked all the allegations of maladministration slammed against the Provost of the institution by the youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Enugu State chapter, as false and unfounded.

In a petition endorsed by the state’s youth leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mazi Nnamdi Odo to the Presidential Visitation Panel at FCEE, the group alleged that the College has been under infrastructural dilapidation under the watch of the Provost , Dr. Pauline Ikwuegbu. The group equally alleged that nepotism has thrieved in the College since the emergence of the Provost who seems to favour her kinsmen over the host and indigenous people of Enugu State.

However, in swift reaction, the Management of the College, in a statement christened “Setting the Records Straight,” and signed by the Public Relations Officer, PRO, of the College, Chukwuebuka Obi, said the institution has witnessed massive positive achievements in all facets since the emergence of Dr. Ikwuegbu in 2018.

The Management equally said that the College has become a construction site due to unprecedented infrastructural projects completed and ongoing in the College since the inception of the Provost, citing the renovation of students’ hostels and the completion of 1000-capacity Auditorium as examples.

While saying that the images of dillapidated hostels which the Ohanaeze youth wing is circulating on the media are fake, the statement added that there other legacy infrastructural projects ongoing in the College, courtesy of the Provost’s administrative ingenuity.

While calling on the general public to disregard the malicious publications against the Provost by Ohanaeze Ndigbo youth wing as false and unfounded, the Management added that it adhered strictly to Federal Character considerations in the 2019 recruitment exercise organised by the Governing Council of the College.

The statement reads in parts “The attention of the Federal College of Education, Eha-Amufu Management has been drawn to the letter written by the Youth Wing of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Enugu State Chapter, released to the press, while making some outright allegations, all having the effect of heating up the College system and sending wrong signals to the public about the state of affairs in the College.
Ordinarily, one would have ignored the forged allegations but it is necessary to set the records straight.
Dr. (Mrs.) Pauline Ngozi Ikwuegbu was appointed as the 7TH Substantive and 1ST female Provost of Federal College of Education Eha-Amufu on June 22, 2018. The Provost came on board well equipped with tact, skills, dexterity, self discipline and a rare audacity.

“The Ikwuegbu led Management left no stone unturned in her desire to leave FCE Eha-Amufu better than she met it. Her administration saw to the completion of the most audacious building in the College – the 1000 Capacity Auditorium. The College Management also saw to the completion of the School of Languages Complex in the Campus II of the institution and the College Administrative Building. Presently, the P.N. Ikwuegbu led administration is constructing an Agricultural Farm Complex, Academic Office Complex, Directorate of Degree Complex, School of General Education Complex, School of Vocational Education Complex, among others. The Management attracted all these and many others through the help of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

“The Ikwuegbu administration viewed capacity development as a strategic and critical means of deepening and improving on the integrity of the administrative and the academic programmes of the College. Over 150 staff members have traveled all over the globe since her administration took over to attend conferences and workshops and over 20 staff members are presently scattered across the world pursuing higher degrees. The College staff members have been exposed to both in-house and open source trainings to improve their work experience and expose them to trends in the society. The most recent training was organised for all staff of the College through the collaboration of the College Management with Google. All staff in the College were trained by Google facilitators on the rudiments of online research, digital advertising strategy, Google blogger, among others. The Management also organised another workshop for both Teaching and Non-Teaching staff with a focus on Work Ethics. It is important to note that none of these staff members were selected based on their states of origin but strictly on merit.

“On assumption of duty, the Provost and her Management team noted that most of the students’ hostels were dilapidated and not habitable. Therefore, she swung into action and saw to the renovation of all the hostels in the College to ensure that they were in a habitable state for the students living in it. There are images attached to prove the truthfulness of the statement above. Furthermore, the Ikwuegbu led administration noticed that the students would have travel to Enugu or Nsukka before they can make sundry payments in the College. She swung into action and attracted a financial institution in the College for the first time since 40 years of existence of the College. Students can now make payments for school fees among others inside the four walls of FCE Eha-Amufu. It is on record that through the Provosts foresight, the water distribution channel and pumps in the College are being revamped to aid the students and make the school environment conducive for them. What then is her crime? Where did she default? Why will Ohaneze Youth Wing keep sharing dilapidated building images as hostels of students? It is not right. What about the solar powered street lights fixed at every nook and cranny of the College? The Ikwuegbu administration ensured that these solar powered lights were also fixed in all the hostels in the school. Detractors of course will not see such developments.

“The Governing Council of the College handled the recruitment exercise that was done in 2019 and the principle of Federal Character was fervently engaged during the recruitment. All catchment areas in Nigeria were captured with the host state, Enugu getting the bulk of the slots. This is also on record. It therefore begs the question, how, why will Ohaneze Youth Wing say that Enugu indigenes were sidelined during the recruitment exercise? Where did they get their facts and figures from? When Isi-Uzo Youths and other Enugu state groups gathered in their numbers to thank the College Council for ensuring that they were not marginalized? These facts are very much verifiable.

“The College was awarded a Degree awarding status in affiliation to one of the best Universities in Nigeria, University of Nigeria, Nsukka during the tenure of Dr. Ikwuegbu in October 2019. Today, the College is on the verge of producing its first set of degree graduates in over 40 years. The Ikwuegbu led Management has also taken Entrepreneurial Education in the College to another height as they have introduced the practical aspect of entrepreneurship to the students who presently are being taught the fundamentals in bead making, event decoration, snacks making, tailoring, among numerous other crafts that they can use to make a livelihood even in the future. The positive results have already started emerging as beautiful artifacts are churned out regularly from the entrepreneurship unit of the College.

“The Igwes, President Generals, the Youth League and all the individuals in the College catchment communities enjoyed uncommon cordial relationship with the College administration which have sustained absolute peace in the College environment. The Ikwuegbu administration has utilized mutual collaboration, understanding and dialogue in handling the various interests of the communities. Therefore they have been accommodating and peaceful because of the administrations unrelenting Corporate Social Responsibility drive. Where then did Ohaneze Youth Wing get their frivolous allegations of marginalization? The Igwes can speak for themselves. The President Generals can also lend their voice if such an unfounded allegation is true.

“The College Management has provided sufficient security of lives and property in the College. The Management revamped the security network of the College by employing a more capable security outfit. This singular act has led to a massive reduction in incidences of any theft and immoral activities in the College environment. The College Management also created a robust partnership with different security networks between our College security and other security agencies such as the Enugu State Police Command posted to Eha-Amufu Town, Department of State Security Services Enugu State Command and Local Vigilante of Eha-Amufu Town.”