Prof. Francis Otunta set to sack over 400 MOUAU staff

... Intentionally fails to capture them in the 2017 budget of the school

There is palpable fear and apprehension among staff of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Umuahia Abia state as indications are rife that the University management will sack no fewer than 400 staff in its employ.

Credible sources in the university who pleaded anonymity disclosed that the governing council of the university rising from their meeting agreed to sack the staff all of whom were employed by the former VC Prof Hilary Edeoga.

According the source most of the staff affected attended the regularisation interview conducted in 2016 by the former VC but did not collect their letters of regularization before the VC was pulled out of the office.

However, the source added that immediately the new VC assumed office, he declared the regularisation interview inconclusive and mandated all affected staff to reapply stating why their appointments should be renewed.

"We all reapplied though we were apprehensive that the new VC wanted to sack most of us and replace us with his kinsmen and friends, like he did when he was rector in Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana, Afikpo, Ebonyi State.

We were not surprised when news broke out that the governing council decided to sack all of us. We have been complaining about it right from the start when he declared the transparent and fair regularisation interview inconclusive.

Some of us were offered temporary appointments while others were head hunted to join the university from other universities. Majority of us were interviewed after sometime which is a standard civil service rule in a bid to regularise our appointments.

However, the former VC did not have time to sign the letters of regularisation or authorise the registrar to do same before activities marking his pulling out kick started.

On assumption of office, the new VC professor Francis Ogbonnaya Otunta declared the interview inconclusive for reasons best known to him.

He directed all the staff involved to reapply stating why their appointments should be renewed and submit same, which we all did.
Some weeks ago he set up a committee to look at the credentials of all staff involved with a view to sacking those whose certificates were questionable or those occupying positions they were not qualified to occupy.
The committee had neither concluded their work nor submitted their report before the VC presented the issue to Council that were just inaugurated and
had their first meeting.

On many occasions while addressing staff, he told us that he does not want anybody to lose his/her job. He will also tell us that he feels upset that he cannot employ anybody from his hometown.

Imagine our shock that after the governing council meeting, information we got indicate that all of us will be sacked. In fact the decision was that all our arrears should be paid while our june salary will also be paid. The letters of termination will take effect from July 1.
The registrar has been mandated to sign the letters, though unverified sources say the registrar is unwilling to sign the letters", our said said.