By Peter Okolie
THE COLLEGES of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has appealed to Gov. Hope Uzodimma to intervene in the management crisis rocking Benjamin Uwajumogu State College of Education, Ihitte Uboma, Imo.
The COEASU Chairman and Secretary in the college, Mr Wilson Amandi and Rev. Fr. Benedict Amuchie, respectively, made the appeal for the governor’s quick intervention in a statement made available to newsmen in Owerri on Tuesday.
The union threatened industrial action within two weeks, if the crisis was not resolved.
It accused the Acting Provost, Dr Maryrose Nwachukwu, of “abuse of power and award of contracts without due process”.
It stated that the provost had been acting for 30 months, paying imprest for only five months to Directors, Deans, and Heads of Departments (HODs).
It claimed that directors, deans and HODs use their money to prepare all accreditation documents and logistics since March 2024 and had not been refunded, despite applying to Nwachukwu for refund.
It said the provost allegedly procured items single-handedly and awarded TETFund contracts without Academic Deans and HODs’ involvement or due process.
“She also awards TETFund contracts in the college without following the Procurement Act 2007 guidelines and has awarded over N1.5 billion contract without Tenders Board, which comprises academic deans and HODs,” it said.
The union further accused Nwachukwu of solely accessing TETFund for Microteaching laboratory equipment without the knowledge of the HOD of the office.
It argued that TETFund projects executed under her watch were poorly designed, executed and did not follow the college’s development plan.
It also alleged that offices and furniture for lecturers, directors, deans and HODs were lacking.
The union expressed concern that the claims of insecurity cited for the non-provision of the essentials were not investigated.
The statement read in part: “The academic staff of the college is not considered in the scheme of activities in the college, including project monitoring activities, which she only monitors with TETFund team alone.
“The college’s neglect and abandonment of projects have made it unattractive to students.
“Rather than engage other management staff, the provost prefers only the services of the college’s Acting Registrar.”
The union further accused the provost of terminating the acting bursar’s appointment without reason, forcing him to hand over to a new appointee.
“Without any known offence, report or directive from the Governor, the provost wrote to the acting bursar to hand over to a new appointee from the Imo Ministry of Housing Corporation.
“The union reminded the provost that the college is autonomous and not part of the ministry and doesn’t accept staff from any ministry,
“Also, we reminded her that the acting bursar’s appointment was a political one by the Governing Council of the college on behalf of the college’s Visitor.
“In spite of our petitions, the provost not only forged ahead with the appointment, but forced the acting bursar to hand over to the new bursar in a shocking manner that involved the Police.
“Additionally, the provost does not have regards for the college organogram and no respect for hierarchy in the college as senior academic staff members of the college are relegated and ignored in her administration,” it added.
COEASU said it wrote letters, seeking the State Government’s intervention through the Chief of Staff (General Service), Chief Ferdinard Uzodimma, but Nwachukwu allegedly ignored invitations to meet the governor’s aide.
“Following her failure to honour the invitation by the Chief of Staff (General Service) for possible resolution of the crisis, the union may be left with no other option than to embark on industrial action,” the body threatened.
But in a swift reaction to the allegations, the provost described COEASU’s allegations as “baseless”, insisting that “all my actions are based on the directives of the State Government”.
Nwachukwu told newsmen in a telephone interview that the college, as a state institution, gets directive from the State Government.
“I take orders from them and they direct me, especially on TETFund issues.
“The college and other tertiary institutions in the state work with the Special Adviser to the Governor on TETFund Intervention and other services.
“So, I would not know why someone would come out to say I do all the TETFund projects alone, when I cannot do anything except the State Government directs me,” she said.
On the issue of the acting bursar that was removed, Nwachukwu said the college did not have a Governing Council and that the “commissioner oversees the affairs of the institution and as such has been on the matter”.
She asked, “How can I be accused of removing an erring bursar, who went as far as sending threatening messages to me?” (NAN)
