Labour unions and the entire community of the Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri have cautioned some sections of the media dishing out rumours of tension in the institution over adherence to the NUC laws, rules and code of conduct guiding the process of any transition from an already existing institution to a university to desist forthwith.
According to the chairman of the Association of Academic Staff Union of the institution, Dr (Mrs) Jovita Agu, this set of rules regulates the assessment, evaluation and placement processes of both Academic and non-teaching staff, stressing that an academic in a college of education system hardly retains the same rank on transition to the university system.
Agu, who made the clarification while addressing newsmen in Owerri during which she dismissed rumours of tension in the institution, said that it is the strict adherence to and application of the NUC stipulated rules for staff re-designation and placement in the institution that had provoked outcry, outburst and raising of eyebrows, thus giving birth to unfounded allegations.
Agu noted that the varsity had traditionally enjoyed a peaceful atmosphere, industrial harmony, and unity of purpose, stressing that unfounded allegations being levelled against some principal officers of the university were products of grave evil machination and fallacies that all should ignore.
On the ongoing admission of the first set of students into the institution, the labour union activist advised all qualified candidates who scored up to 140 and above in the last JAMB examination to change institutions if they did not choose the varsity for admission earlier.
Agu hailed the acting vice chancellor of the institution – Prof. Stella Ngozi Lemchi, for her capacity and capability in ensuring a seamless transition process for the university and championing the collective welfare of every staff of the institution.
