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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Alumni Association of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) has distanced itself from the recent conferment of professor to the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isah Pantami.
The Association, therefore, backed the disapproval position of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) taken at its recent National Executive Committee (NEC) stressing that the conferment was not in accordance with the lay down guidelines.
The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Association, at the end of its emergency meeting, appreciated the National body of ASUU and the local FUTO chapter for joining their stance in condemning the appointment of Pantami as a Professor in FUTO.
The communique of the meeting jointly signed by National President and National Secretary, Ndubuisi Chijioke and Kingsley Azuaru, respectively, noted that ex-students of FUTO are all pained by the continued dent on the image and reputation of the school in recent times by the current school management.
“This is not acceptable to us, and we can only help to change this narrative not by pretending that all is well, but by insisting that whatever is wrong must be made right.
“We must be unequivocal and unapologetic in taking the necessary actions to address any form of institutional leadership failure or any other process in whatever form,” the NEC noted.
The NEC, thus dissociated the Association from the proposed dinner purportedly being organized by FUTO Alumni Elders which the University Management is being hosted.
“We wish to state categorically that FUTO Alumni Association is not involved in whatsoever manner with the scheduled dinner by the group called FUTO Alumni Elders.
“We, equally, consider the use of FUTO alumni association’s name in the promotion of the event without its consent a grievous infringement and subversive of the Alumni leadership.”
They confirmed that the Association has not committed any funds or authorised the University to avail or expend any fund for the event from the Alumni funds in its custody, as being alleged.
“NEC also dissociated FUTO Alumni Association and its members from this event, stating that all chapter executives have been mandated to communicate the position immediately to their members.”
