CSOs Accuses Pro-Chancellor, Registrar of Illegality and Disregard for Due Process in the Appointment of Bursar in Joseph Sarwuan Tarkaa University, Makurdi
…calls for Review of appointment by University Council
Civil Rights Movement Against Corruption (CRAM), a civil society organization (CSO) that seeks to entrench due process and sanity in public governance as well as ensuring zero corruption at all levels of government has raised an alarm over what it described as a deliberate and malicious attempt by Hon. Edith C. Uwajumogu, and Dr. John Ujo David, the Pro-Chancellor and Registrar of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University Makurdi respectively to subvert competency and existing rules governing appointments in Federal establishment by appointing an unqualified stooge as the Bursar of the institution for selfish reasons.
In a statement signed by Comrade Seyi Adebanjo, the Executive Director of CRAM and made available to journalist in Abuja on the 9th of June, 2023, the CSO insisted that the illegality must be reversed and due process followed against the high-handedness and arrogance of the Pro-Chancellor and Registrar.
According to the statement, “as a civil society organization with a mandate to eradicate all forms of corruption in governance, we are saddened by the desperate attempt by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council to illegally appoint an unqualified person as the Bursar and attempt to forcefully handover the very sensitive office of Bursar while sidelining more qualified candidates and the persistent calls by CSOs to halt the process, even to the extent of challenging the charade in court. Noting further that, it is shameful that high ranking appointees of the Government like the Pro-Chancellor and Registrar will choose to take such a dishonourable stance.
“The Pro-Chancellor, Hon. Edith Uwajumogu in particular has been involved in notorious scandals that makes one begin to imagine if the Joseph Sarwuan Tarkaa University has been privatized and she’s a sole owner. Not quite long ago, she had embarrassed the whole nation and the University community by announcing a Vice Chancellor for the same University even when the process had yet to be concluded. Such gaffes are unbecoming of a high ranking appointee of her standing and can only be borne out of deliberate mischief with the intent to take undue advantage of others.
Aside the attempted fraud of foisting a misfit Bursar on the University community, CRAM has similarly accused the Pro-Chancellor of illegal sale of University property, maintaining a flamboyant lifestyle at the expense of the University’s lean resources and deliberately hoarding the report of the Visitation Panel and refusing to implement same all in a bid to protect his kinsman who was indicted on the grounds of sexual harassment.
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The statement reads in part, “in flagrant disregard for instructions from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture against auctioning Federal Government property, the Pro-Chancellor auctioned University cars to her cronies on assumption of duty. As if that was not enough, she got the University to approve a whooping sum of 3 million (N3,000,000 ) for the maintenance of her private vehicles within few months of her resumption. By refusing to use the University’s Guest house as it’s by other Pro-Chancellors across the country including her predecessors, Hon. Edith Uwajumogu who carries an entourage of family members and friends has so far wasted millions of naira that would have been used for infrastructural development in the University. This might explain her insistence on appointing a quack who will do her bidding in the bursary department but we must continue to resist until the right thing is done for the interest of all concerned stakeholders.
“Similarly and most appallingly, the only University in Nigeria that has not acted on the last Visitation Panel constituted by the Muhammadu Buhari regime is the Joseph Sarwuan Tarkaa University, Makurdi thanks to the unyielding Pro-Chancellor. In a bid to protect her Igbo Kinsman, Hon. Edith Uwajumogu has sat on the visitation panel report and refused to release for implementation because one Professor Celestine Aguoru was indicted for sexual harassment of female students. This is a despicable offense in the University system to allow an academic accused of such a serious offense to continue to work for the University and wreck more havoc. The Pro-Chancellors disposition is tantamount to mortgaging the future of the University and making mockery of the high standards set by her predecessors”
The CSO expressed shock that even in the 21st Century where professionalism and competence are yardsticks for appointments and employments in all civilized climes, the Pro-Chancellor and the Registrar of Joseph Sarwuan Tarkaa University have chosen to jettison this convention in support of a candidate who did not meet any of the requirements stated in the vacancy announcement by the University probably in a bid to cover their tracks and jeopardize the University system.
“Recall that the position of Bursar at Joseph Sarwuan Tarkaa University, Makurdi was advertised in the Daily Trust Newspaper on the 13th of December, 2022 with specific criteria to be met by would-be applicants amongst which was the fact that the person must be of the rank of Deputy Bursar for at least 5 years of experience. On the 16th of February, 5 candidates where shortlisted, amongst them, one Mr. Ortese Tyoule Simon who has never been a Deputy Bursar and by extension not qualified to apply for the post in the first place. However with a twist of Machiavellian logic, the Registrar colluded with the University Council misleading to the announcement of Mr. Ortese Simon who, aside never being a Deputy Bursar is not qualified to be a Bursar because he’s a Director in the internal audit department of the University, his appointment, therefore, a contravention of Section 1709 of the Financial Regulations. This is not acceptable and must be reversed forthwith to give room for a qualified person and further avoidable scandals”, the statement added.
CRAM however commended the Ministry of Agriculture for wielding into the matter and setting up a committee to investigate the circumstances leading to the mess the Pro-Chancellor and his cohorts are seeking to put the University into at all cost, adding that the Federal Ministry of Education must tow the same line and impose punitive measures on the erring officials as well as review the purported appointment to serve as a deterrent to others and prevent a situation where henceforth, the society will begin to see lawlessness as a norm.
Part of the statement reads, “While we appreciate the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture for responding to the call by CSOs to put an end to this primitive imposition, we challenge the Ministry of Education and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and relevant authorities to immediately investigate this abnormally and bring the perpetrators to book. Furthermore, a visitation panel should be constituted and a thorough audit of funds allocated to the University done to unravel the cause of this hasty decision on the part of the council. In addition, we particularly ask that the Governing Council headed by Hon. Edith C. Uwajumogu be dissolved with immediate effect to give room for a competent team that’ll respect the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and extant laws guiding the University system”.
The CSO finally sued for calm and advised members of the University community and stakeholders to go about their businesses without any fear as the matter is before the Federal High Court Makurdi and will soon be resolved hopefully in favour of due process and the rule of law. Stating further that, “with all parties to the matter served, it’s just a matter of time before justice will be done and the illegal appointment reversed to pave way for a competent Bursar who will pilot the affairs of the institution for prudent and sustainable financial management”
FIND THE ATTACHED FILE HERE
A CALL FOR THE-WPS Office (2) edited BB
