Abia: Professorial appointments tear agric varsity apart

The management of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, (MOUAU ) Abia State is under pressure by the university chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to demote 30 unqualified professors and 10 associate professors promoted late in the tenure of the immediate past vice chancellor, Professor Hillary Edeoga.

A source in the university management told Daily Trust yesterday that following the recent disengagement of unqualified 440 staff who were employed outside due process towards the expiration of the tenure of Edeoga, several petitions had been received by the management to sack the 30 professors and 10 associate professors, which the university set up two separate committees to investigate.

ASUU MOUAU branch disclosed in a petition to the panel that most of the professors were unilaterally promoted without assessment in their department or faculty, for which reason the process leading to their promotion did not comply with the provisions of Section 4.2 subsection (a) of the Condition of Service for senior staff of MOUAU.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the university, Mrs Adanma Odefa, said the university did not promote anyone based on sentiment. “There are laid down rules to become a professor and if anybody is found wanting, he will be demoted,” she said.