The Vice-Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Prof. Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, has debunked rumours linking her to the recent recruitment exercise in the institution.
Speaking on Tuesday, Prof. Akanwa, the 7th substantive Vice-Chancellor of MOUAU, maintained that she has not employed any staff since assuming office. She clarified that the recruitment process was initiated and concluded by her predecessor.
The VC also dismissed allegations that names of captured staff were being removed and replaced with new ones, describing such claims as “unrealisable and impossible” within the framework of an academic institution like MOUAU.
Prof. Akanwa decried discrepancies in the employment figures from the previous administration. She disclosed that while 426 appointment letters were expected to be issued, the actual number released exceeded that figure.
According to her, 553 individuals were initially captured, indicating that several persons who received appointment letters were never formally integrated into the University’s payroll system.
“Capturing is the essential step for entering the mainstream for payment. Those not captured have effectively not been integrated into the University’s payroll,” she stated.
Expressing concern over the absence of reliable staff data, Prof. Akanwa directed the Registrar to collate comprehensive data from Deans, Directors, and Heads of Departments. The audit will ascertain: the actual number of staff on ground; the distribution of Professors and other staff across departments; and staff-to-student ratios to determine genuine staffing needs.
She explained that the data will form the basis for future waiver requests for staff recruitment, ensuring that departments do not suffer from unnecessary staffing gaps.
“For those who were given appointment letters but were not captured before the transition of power, I cannot provide answers about their future because I did not start or execute that specific recruitment exercise. Their status remains a matter between them and the previous administration,” Prof. Akanwa said.
The Vice-Chancellor further urged the University community to cultivate a culture of punctuality, stressing the importance of adhering to advertised times for programmes and official meetings.
MOUAU VC Distances Self from Controversial Recruitment Exercise
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