OUTGOING sixth Vice Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Abia State, Prof. Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, has explained how he has administered the university from March 2021 for a five-year tenure, stating that he restored peace to the institution after resolving over 100 cases filed against it in various courts.
The VC, in an interview with newsmen, stated that he achieved the feat without stepping on toes, adding that there has been no case of embezzlement under his watch.
“I gave my life to the service of this university and I’m proud of the progress we have made,” he noted.
He stated that though his administration executed several projects with the limited resources available, he was surprised that some of his detractors decided to smear his administration’s reputation on social media.
According to him, some online news platforms had published falsehoods alleging that his administration spent N252 million to purchase three vehicles, failed to remit N578 million IGR generated in 2021-2022,paid for fake and uncompleted projects, violated 32 provisions of the Public Procurement Act, including paying his predecessor a severance allowance in excess of N44 million.
The VC, however, explained that he came into office in March 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic when there was no internal revenue generation.
He also recalled that in 2022, public universities had declared a nationwide strike that lasted for over eight months, wondering how the N578 million IGR could have been generated.
He said that even though there was a plan to procure vehicles as proposed in 2024 for 2025 appropriations, the funds were not released, noting that procurement processes are lengthy and extend to the Ministry of Agriculture Committee from the university’s counterpart before approval to effect.
On the payment of severance allowance, he said he did not pay such, because he did not inherit it, stressing that the issue of severance allowance payment is handled by the university Governing Council and not the VC.
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