On Tuesday, 20 June 2023, Dr Osita Igbe, outgoing Rector Abia State College of Health Sciences and Management Technology, handed over to the new Rector Mr Alloysuis Okezie at the college Council’s Chamber in Aba.
Speaking during the brief ceremony attended by the management and academic staff of the college as well as few guests, Dr Igbe thanked the management and staff of the college for their profound support in his two months of saddling the affairs of the college, stating that his brief stay in the institution was characterised by some “remote and manifest challenges” but recalled that he was able to surmount most of them by the support of some of the credible staff.
Igbe maintained that the opportunity to serve the college afforded him an opportunity to appreciate the enormous challenges bedeveling the growth of the institution just as he contributed his little quota, within the short time he stayed, to ameliorate some of the problems that he met on ground . He thanked the former Governor, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu and the Executive Governor of Abia state Dr Alex Chioma Otti OFR for finding him worthy to serve the state in that capacity.
Commending efforts of some of the management and staff of the college ,Dr Igbe remarked that he received maximum support from some of them but however chided some “agents of retrogression” whose activities are antithetical to the growth trajectory of the college.
He also restated that the business of the college revolves around the students and maintained that their welfare should remain the priority of the college. He tasked all to support the new Rector more to ensure that he succeeds in his assignment.
Outlining some of the challenges he met on assumption of duty,which is elaborately contained in his handover note, Dr Igbe pointed out that the current state of the college is like “a glorified secondary school” and challenged the new Rector to do everything possible to improve on both the Infrastructure and Academic state of the college.
The outgoing Rector equally observed that, “while the Health Sciences could be considered healthy and viable ,the schools of Pure and Applied Sciences as well as the Business Management are struggling,however,general assessment indicates that some of the programs are either due for re-accreditation or nearing re-accreditation.” He further noted that “the Public Nursing program that has over 400 students is not accredited hence the fate of the numerous registered students are uncertain”. Igbe concluded that the challenges of the includes indiscipline, preponderance of unqualified academic staff , ill-motivated workforce noting specifically that the staff of the college are yet to be scheduled for pensions and gratuity many years after recognition as a college by the state parliament.
On his achievements, Igbe maintained that he ensured that salaries were promptly paid but for some delays owing to the transition program.He mentioned his discussions with funding agencies and the imminent succor that the discussions will likely birth.”Providing leadership, restoring confidence, ensuring that the promotion of staff was released, and ordering for steel bunk beds for the students hostels”, according to Igbe, are some of his achievements within his brief stay as Rector.
In their goodwill messages, a representative of the academic staff Mrs Anifowoshe thanked the Rector for restoring the confidence of both staff and students and regretted that the former Rector incidentally was not allowed longer time to fully implement his programs which looked “quite lofty and promising”. She prayed God to bless Igbe and his future endeavors. Similarly,the chairman of Non Academic staff of the college Comrade Peter Nwosu applauded the giant strides of the former Rector within two months, especially, his worker friendly dispositions and maintained that Igbe’s tenure,though short-lived, is one of the best periods of the college in recent times.
President of the students union was all praises to the outgoing Rector whom he described as a Father and an uncommon Transformer. Recounting his many critical interventions, the students leader, in a song of gratitude, chanted how Igbe removed an accumulated dirt that was abandoned in front of their hostel for months ; how he provided regular water supply to the hostels , paid medical bills for emergency health cases and stepped into their needs even on security and prompt release of results.He asked God to bless Igbe and prosper his future endeavours .
The students union leader also pledged their loyalty to the new Rector, Mr Alloysuis Okezie and pray he beats the records set by Dr Igbe.
Responding, the incoming Rector Mr Alloysuis Okezie thanked the staff and students for the warm reception and applauded the impact of Dr Igbe within the short time he spent in the college .
Mr Okezie promised that the ideal parting gift to Igbe will be to “ensure he accomplishes the good deeds that he initiated” pointing that he is poised to engender “positive difference that will be impactful and be able to take the college to a higher level.” He wished Igbe well in his activities at the Abia State University.
