Ebonyi State Governor, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, has signed the Ebonyi State University Amendment Bill and the 2016 Supplementary Appropriation Bill of N11.8bn into law.
While signing the two bills at the Government House in Abakaliki, Umahi explained that the Ebonyi State University amendment bill was necessary because of some issues affecting the institution’s staff recently.
But the new law cost the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Francis Idike his job as he was expected to vacate office November 26.
Umahi further explained that non-gazetting of the university staff and the tenure of the vice-chancellor as well as other management staff had been addressed as a result of some sections of the new law.
He said, “The university staff had been worrying so much about gazetting but with this law you are here by gazetted. It should be one of our legacies and I don’t know why they didn’t believe us because we don’t have power to gazette you without the House of Assembly. Today, you should be very happy because this law has gazetted you immediately.
“When they came on board they started pointing out a lot of issues on the law and of course they insisted that the tenure of the present management must elapse on 26th of November, 2016.
The law that has been repealed or amended as the case now has a duration of two deputy vice chancellors even though the deputy vice Chancellors were mentioned in the law of 2011, they just said deputy vice chancellors but naturally it should have deputy vice-Chancellor academics and deputy vice- Chancellor administration.”
The governor stated that the state university had become autonomous by the repealed law, stressing that the management was required to pay pension and gratuity to its retired staff. He enjoined them to ensure proper management of the school.
Umahi added, “You must note very well that the university is on its own and where we make input or the House of Assembly makes input, they are very clear in the law but the university by the reason of this law is such that they are to moderate their activities as to be able to pay their pensions and their gratuity. It’s not government that is going to pay it. The university must be properly managed.”
The governor, who noted that the university was over staffed when compared to other universities in the South-East, encouraged the management to ensure state character in recruitment or downsizing of workers.
He added that similar law would be made for the College of Education, Ikwo and the Akanu Ibiam Polytechnic.
The governor explained that the supplementary appropriation law took care of stabilization fund which was not in the 2016 budget.
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