Addressing speculations circulating in the media that the Vice-Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Prof. Ursula Akanwa, was responsible for the disengagement of 127 newly recruited staff, the university has dismissed the claims as false. It clarified that the current Vice-Chancellor neither participated in the recruitment exercise nor had any involvement in the decision to disengage the affected staff.
Briefing journalists at the Vice Chancellor’s Conference room, Tuesday, the Public Relations Officer, Mr Anyaso Anyaso, said at various meetings with the University community, the Vice-Chancellor emphatically stressed that the employment process, including the capturing of staff for payroll, was already concluded prior to 1st March, 2026, when she assumed office as the Vice-Chancellor of the University, stating that anybody with enquiries should direct them to those who handled the exercise.
According to Anyaso, the central issue is that the Federal Government granted a waiver for the recruitment of 426 staff, a figure approved by the Governing Council, which directed the then Vice-Chancellor and Management to strictly adhere to it in conducting the employment exercise.
“Ironically, appointment letters were issued to 618 persons. Of these, 553 were captured on the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), which subsequently uploaded only the 426 positions approved by the Federal Government and the Governing Council.
“Suffice it to state that the Vice-Chancellor has no access to the GIFMIS platform and therefore cannot remove or alter any names uploaded to the system”.
The Public Relations Officer, therefore, urged members of the public and other stakeholders to disregard insinuations being circulated by mischief makers but rely only on official University channels for accurate information and refrain from circulating unverified reports.
He said no decision has been made regarding the disengaged staff, adding that any future action taken on the matter would be officially communicated to the media.
Anyaso further reiterated that the Federal government only gave employment waiver for 426 staff which is what will be captured in the budget, adding that the school cannot cater for over employment.
He also cleared the narrative that MOUAU did not exact any form of force on the said staff.
