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Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
The Board of the Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government of Ebonyi State and the outgoing provost, Prof. Justina Mgbada, are loggerheads over the property of the institution.
Consequently, the Board and the Academic Staff Union of Research and Other Related Institutions (ASURI) have accused the outgoing provost of of planning to cannibalise the properties of the college through illegal auctioning to herself.
In a letter dated December 24 and signed by acting chairman, Jacob M. Gbagede, the Board asked members of the community to be vigilant and refuse any attempt from anybody to “part us with our vehicles.”
The letter read in part; “The Board is not consented or part of the decision to sale or auction any of the college properties.
“Be aware that all of us have a stake in the affairs of this College. So, we must protect, guide and secure all the school belongings.”
But in a swift reaction, the outgoing provost said she followed the due process in all her actions, adding that it was not the duty of the Board to approve the auction.
“Yes we want to do auction and I followed the due process. The Board doesn’t need to approve that, they are not the people that approve it, it is the Accountant Generals Office that approves it. It is published in the newspaper and it is not secret.”
On its part, ASURI in a statement titled “Fraudulent appropriation of property of FCAI through a discrete and illegal sales/auctioning process,” signed by its Secretary, Victor Ebiaku, expressed worry the actions of the Provost wondering why she whose tenure would expire on December 31, 2019 would be embarking on auctioning of newly acquired vehicles of the college when the college was on holiday.
The union said, “Vehicles attached to the Provost and Management office which is for auction includes Toyota Prado Jeep, Toyota Hilux, Toyota Camry among others. Other valuable properties that may be targeted are the college tanker, tipper truck, cooling vans among others.”
It was gathered that the vehicles that were put up for auction as unusable vehicles were procured between February and March this year.
