MOUAU Recruitment Scandal: Disengaged workers file appeal, clear VC of sack allegation

Disengaged workers of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Abia State, have formally appealed to the university management for reinstatement and officially exonerated the current Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, from any involvement in their removal.

The affected staff issued a public statement through their representative, Reverend Ifeanyi Remy, declaring their continued loyalty to the institution and pleading for a favorable reconsideration of their job status.

They explicitly dismissed previous media reports linking Prof. Akanwa to their sack, clearing her of any blame regarding the termination saga.

The group had initially taken the university authorities to court but withdrew the lawsuit to allow room for an amicable, administrative resolution.

“We, the 2017 suspended members of staff of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), issue this press statement to set the record straight and correct the misinformation suggesting that the current Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, was responsible for the university’s recent staff recruitment exercise or the removal of any staff members.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the current Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ngozi Akanwa, has no involvement whatsoever in the recruitment exercise or the circumstances that led to their layoff.

“The recruitment exercise in question was conducted during the administration of the immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Professor Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe,” the statement partly read.

The workers alleged that the university management under the former Vice-Chancellor failed to consider their reinstatement when approval was granted for the recruitment of additional staff.

They claimed that following a waiver for the employment of 426 workers, the administration should have considered reinstating some of the affected staff members before recruiting new employees.

“When the waiver of 426 was given, Prof. Iwe should have considered us and given us first right of refusal as was agreed by reinstating about 150 of us,” the statement added.

They further alleged that the administration exceeded the approved waiver by recruiting 618 new staff members, describing the action as an avoidable error.

The disengaged workers reaffirmed their commitment to the university and appealed to the authorities to review their case and consider their return to service.

𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖/𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕠 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖