Imo State government has approved a forensic audit of the state’s university amid monumental corrupt practices contained in the report of the Visitation Panel that recently investigated the university’s activities between 2012-2019.
The government has also okayed December 30, 2020 for the Vice Chancellor of Imo State University, Prof. Victoria Adaobi Obasi, to stop functioning in that capacity.
The Executive Council of Imo State government gave the approvals on Wednesday, December 16, 2020, insisting that forensic audit of the University’s finances has been necessary if the effort of Governor Hope Uzodimma as the Visitor of Imo State University to reposition the institution must not be a waste.
While considering the Whitepaper report of the Visitation Panel on IMSU that was headed by Prof. Chinedu Nebo, the Exco also approved December 30, 2020 as date for the end of tenure of Prof. Obasi as the Vice Chancellor of the Imo State University,
The Executive Council meeting which was presided over by Governor Uzodimma equally approved that henceforth, all admissions into Imo State University, should be strictly on merit and that a Committee to handle all admissions will be set up under the leadership of the Registrar of the University. The idea, the Council noted, is to checkmate the level of admission racketeering in the University as reported by the panel.
Briefing newsmen on the outcome of the weekly meeting, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba informed that Council also directed that a government Committee be set up to look into the allocation of hectares of land belonging to the University to developers and determine how far such developers have used the allocation to improve the lot of the institution and make appropriate recommendations to the government.
He equally explained that Council directed the Attorney General of the State and Commissioner of Justice to identify and handover to the police for proper investigations and possibly, prosecution, all those who are running the Institute for Continuing Education Programme (ICEP) as a parallel programme of Imo State University without the approval of the Senate.
Emelumba, who was joined at the briefing by the Commissioner for Transport, Barr. Rex Anunobi, Commissioner for Education, Prof. Bernard Ikegwuoha and the Chief Press Secretary and Special Adviser (Media) to the Governor, Oguwike Nwachuku, further explained that the Council directed that a Committee be set up to look into the Prof. Jude Njoku Visitation Panel Report on Eastern Palm University and make appropriate recommendations to the Government based on the report within one week.
The idea, he said, is for Government to address the controversies surrounding the University, mostly as they concern the ownership.
On the forthcoming yuletide, Emelumba noted that the Council agreed to work out a comprehensive action plan on security and traffic control that will ensure that Imo people are secured throughout the season and even beyond, and have the opportunity to enjoy free follow of traffic in the major cities of the State.
Amid the resurgence of Covid-19 pandemic, the Council reiterated the earlier directives of government to Imo citizens to adhere strictly to all Covid-19 protocols as a way of staying save.