The Vice Chancellor, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, MOUAU, Professor Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe has dismissed reports in some online newspapers that the University failed to remit N578 million Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, to the Federal Government in 2021 and 2022.
The Vice Chancellor also denied the claims in the same online newspaper (not DAILY POST) that the University under his watch illegally made payment of N5 billion.
Professor Iwe, who was reacting to the social media reports, said service charges paid by undergraduate students of universities should not be classified as IGR, especially in a situation where universities are not adequately funded.
He noted that in 2021 and 2022, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike could not have generated such large sum of IGR at the same time the world was still waking up from the COVID-19 economic crises and the eight months ASUU strike of 2022 that left universities deserted without activities.
“Because of the situation of 2021 and 2022, I can’t see this University generating that amount of money. Charges that are paid by students in the Nigerian Universities should not be regarded as IGR because they are tied to service charges. Or are those sponsoring the false information saying that the acclaimed N578 IGR came from the POS operators and photocopying centres?
“Hence, anybody who is reporting massive IGR figures for the University within that period is only being unrealistic,” the Vice Chancellor said.
On the allegations that his administration illegally spent N5 billion on University permanent site , Professor Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe said that a former union leader in the University who allegedly failed to attract a single project from the Federal government for the institution, was blackmailing his administration.
According to him, “the blackmailer said that the Vice Chancellor wasted five billion naira in developing the permanent site. As at them, the main development at the site was a three billion naira Special Intervention Project, which commenced in 2023 and has been progressing.
“I am not sure that the project has consumed up to two billion naira because he forgets that contractors are paid on attainment of milestones.
“Much of the five billion naira erroneously claimed is still in TETFund coffers till today,” the Vice Chancellor said.
Professor Iwe who maintained that the permanent site of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike constitute 85% of the total land mass of MOUAU, said he would not be distracted from leaving a sterling legacy of development and peace.
He further thanked Governor Alex Otti for his intervention which made it possible for the University to have possession of its land for development.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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