By Mbah Ebubechukwu
I have read with dismay on the pages of News Paper and on the internet, several allegations leveled against the Vice Chancellor of Imo State University, Prof. Adaobi Obasi by the Hope Uzodinma led Government of Imo State.
One of the various allegations include that the Vice Chancellor Squandered February subventions without paying salaries to the staff of the University.
Following a personal investigation I carried out, I discovered that this allegation is not only a lie, but a calculated plot to remove the Vice Chancellor from office before the expiration of her tenure.
When Former Governor Rochas Okorocha started paying 70% salary to Imo workers, IMSU Staff was not paid anything less that 100% salary for a day. Prof. Obasi augmented the Government-cut subventions with the School Internally Generated Revenue to pay for the monthly 100% salary. It is on record that Imo State University was the only institution of Imo State Government that enjoyed 100% salaries throughout the tenure of Governor Okorocha. This she continued doing till Governor Emeka Ihedioha came onboard and introduced TSA which Imo State University queued in to. The Hope Uzodinma’s administration came in and reverted to incomplete payment of subvention while the IGR of the School now goes straight to the state coffers as a result of TSA. Prof. Obasi was left with no other option than to combine the wage bill of two months to pay for one while keeping the balance for subsequent payments. January and February subventions was used to pay 100% to all Academic and Non teaching staff of the University with the balance being kept in the bank. This action was duly communicated to the State Government. From March, Imo State Government undertook to be paying salaries of IMSU staff directly. The Commissioner for Education, Prof Ikegwuoha knows these facts and had owned up to them on several platforms.
Another lie told against the Vice Chancellor is that is that Her Son, Izuchukwu collects tuition fees for the University through Tenece Professional Services, a company allegedly belonging to him.
The report presented by the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Thompson Ikegwuoha on the 8th of July 2020 to the State Executive Council stated that Tenece belongs to an unexitent “Izuchukwu Obasi” and that they are responsible for collecting “tuition fees” in the school. It is shameful and unfortunate that such a report was presented to the State Exco by the Commissioner without proper investigation. It shows that the commissioner lacks information of the happenings in the school where he lectures.
To start with, Prof. Adaobi Obasi has no son that bears the name Izuchukwu Obasi. A quick search on the web via www.tenece.com reveals that there is no Izuchukwu Obasi has no relationship with the said company either by enjoyment or consultancy.
Tenece Professional Services Limited is a Multi – competency enterprise transformation and technology – consulting firm which is duly registered under the companies and allied matters act 1990. The details of the registration/ownership are verifiable at the Corporate Affairs Commission and also on their website.
Tenece Professional Services Limited is currently engaged by several Oil and Gas firms, Telecom firms, Financial Institutions and Various Schools including Imo State Polytechnic Umuagwo which is also another Institution belonging to Imo State Government.
In IMSU, Tenece is powering Remitta which is the gateway via which ancillary charges and other fees are being paid. Tenece also provides ICT solutions to the university which includes the provision of free Wi-Fi to the duly registered students of IMSU.
It would only take a desperado to lay such heavy accusations on the person of Prof. Adaobi Obasi in a bid to blackmail her out of office. Whichever Appointee of the State Government that is responsible for misleading the State Executive Council into believing these lies should be exposed and sanctioned without delay.
The Shared Prosperity Government of Senator Hope Uzodinma has experienced several ridicule and should not allow desperate Appointees to further ridicule the already battered image of the government.
One would begin to wonder the special notorious interest the Commissioner for Education has in IMSU while neglecting other sectors of Education in Imo.
There can only be one Vice Chancellor at a time in IMSU. The Nigeria’s University Commission NUC guidelines in the election a Vice Chancellor of a University has been violated severally in IMSU. The Commissioner for Education should do well to protect the interests of his Primary Constituency, IMSU and not sacrifice the structural foundation layed in the past six years in Imo State University on the alter of personal ambitions.
