Imo State has a case of fraud round his neck following his indictment
by a government white paper on his tenure as Vice Chancellor of Imo
State University, Owerri.
The white paper found Professor Anwukah, a former Secretary to the
government of Imo State guilty of fraud, states an online report.
According to The Agendang.com which got an exclusively copy of the
White Paper, Chapter fifteen (XV, page 35) of the White Paper
described Anwukah as having laid the foundation for the rot plaguing
the University and directed his immediate dismissal from the
University. Professor Anwukah is an in-law to Governor Roachs
Okorocha.
Okorocha has recommended Anwukah to President Buhari for appointment
as Minister from Imo State, having failed in his earlier bid to get
him appointed as Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Following the damning recommendations of the Visitation Panel, the
state government directed the Governing Council of the University to
immediately retire Professor Anthony Anwukah from the services of Imo
State University, as against outright dismissal, as recommended by the
panel.
It would be recalled that former governor of the state, Chief Ikedi
Ohakim, through a letter with Ref. No. SGI/S.0928/T.3/X of 16th April,
2008, set up a Ten-man visitation Panel into the Affairs of Imo State
University from 2004 to 2009.
Members of the Panel were: Hon. Justice S.A. Nsofor JCA
(Rtd)-Chairman; Professor Nnamdi Asika, Barrister Mike Ezeala, Dr. Obi
Njoku, Barrister Chidi Nworka, Major General S.A. Owuama (Rtd), Chief
Mrs. Janet Okwara, Mr. George Emeghara, K.C. Nwokorie Esq and Mr.
A.C.A. Duru.
Part of the Terms of Reference of the Visitation Panel were: to
investigate the award of contracts in the University; to investigate
the process and modalities of employment and promotion of staff in the
University; to investigate the process and modalities for the conduct
of post UME Examination at the University and to identify the revenue
sources of the University and the amount accruing therefrom and to
compare the total revenue with the total budgeted running cost of the
University.
Others were: to investigate the procedure for admission and the
administration of Pre-Degree Programmes; to investigate the procedure
and management of admission into the University after conduct of Post
UME and Pre-Degree examinations; generally make an all-embracing fact
finding exercise into the affairs of the university from 2004-2009,
among others.
"The Panel found that he laid the foundation for most of the rot that
now plague Imo State University. Admission racketeering, which
included admitting much more than the carrying capacity of the
University and charging of fees from students for file jackets and
processing; award of contracts with utter disregard to due process,
for instance, a controversial contract for the rebuilding of the
perimeter fence round his official residence, which he awarded by
telephone from USA; the use and abuse of "personal/special assistants
to circumvent the bursary in the furnishing of the Vice-chancellor's
(Anwukah's) official residence, which he attempted to deny before the
Panel", stated the Panel Report as approved by the White Paper.
"He revealed himself to be a man who has grown bigger than the people
he works with and is not amenable to control. He displayed
insubordination to constituted authority in his department and faculty
by arrogating to himself the power to choose which course and which
students to teach, in total disdain of the faculty's schedule, with
its attendant breakdown of discipline."
"His testimony before the Panel revealed a man who was rather
economical with the truth. He bought and took away a brand new
Mercedes Benz 15-seater bus at the end of his tenure, claiming that it
was his legitimate retirement entitlement. This, the Panel found, is
not true. It is stipulated in the approved remuneration/welfar
epackage/end of tenure-retiring benefits for the Vice Chancellor/other
principal officers of the Imo State University, Owerri, made by the
Governing Council of the University on the 3rd day of December, 2004,
that the vice chancellor shall be allowed to take away one official
car on successful completion of his tenure of five years.
That law did not permit a vice chancellor to buy and take home a bus
as his end of tenure car, while still hanging on to his official car.
Professor Anwukah, having fraudulently converted the said bus, should
pay back to the university forthwith, the admitted value of the said
bus which he himself put at N3.8m. There is need to examine critically
the source of the wealth and opulence that Prof. Anwukah is basking in
shortly after his tenure as vice chancellor."
"The Panel was not at all satisfied with the explanation he gave as to
how he acquired the fabulous house he resides in at Akanchawa Road,
Owerri, particularly, given the fact that he also owns several other
buildings in Owerri and Uli, Anambra State all acquired within the
past ten years. He single-handedly terminated police investigation
into the forged school fees receipt scandal involving some bursary
staff, thereby shielding the culprits from possible prosecution. He
should be dismissed from the University."
Despite the indictment and a subsisting Court order, Professor Anwukah
served as Secretary to the State Government –SSG under Governor Rochas
Okorocha during his first tenure as executive governor of the state, a
development many described as impunity.
Okorocha's disobedience to Court Order
A non-governmental organization, Every Child Education and Advancement
Foundation – ECEAF later obtained an order of Imo State High Court
when Prof. Anwukah was appointed SSG, directing his sack, following
the indictment, an order Okorocha refused to obey, The Agenda stated.
Sources close to governor Okorocha revealed to The Agenda online that
Okorocha came under pressure in his first tenure to relieve his
in-law, Professor Anwukah of his position as Secretary to the State
Government, following his indictment for fraud by a White Paper on his
tenure as Vice Chancellor of Imo State University, Owerri and a
subsequent Court ruling on same.
In a petition to the Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, dated 2nd
March, 2013 entitled: "Sack Anwuka and others now and save our
democracy," a non-governmental organization, Every Child Education and
Advancement Foundation – ECEAF made a case for obedience of a Court
order directing the sack of the then SSG, Anthony Anwuka.
The petition, signed by the Foundation's Executive Director and
Secretary, urged the State Assembly to step into the matter, with a
view to ensuring that the order of the Court was obeyed.
"We have waited patiently to see the government led by His Excellency
Owelle Rochas Okorocha obey the Court ruling given by a reputable
Judge of Imo State High Court on the 29th of January 2013 which
ordered the sack of all those indicted by the Imo State University
–IMSU White Paper in this present administration, to no avail."
"As a Non-Governmental Organization, we have been adversely affected
by the appointment of such people who were indicted by the IMSU White
Paper. Our thematic area, which is helping to build on the morality of
the Nigerian child has had so many set-backs since the appointment of
such persons into positions of public trust as the youths now
reference such people as a case study to justify crime and immorality,
believing that there is reward in criminality, considering the
appointment of such persons as Prof. Anthony Anwukah and others who
were indicted of fraud. It is indeed contradictory to the project of
sanitizing the moral decadence amongst our youths," the petition reads
in part.
All efforts to reach Professor Anwukah for comments proved abortive,
as his mobile line could not be reached.
Stakeholders have frowned at governor Okorocha's choice of Professor
Anwuka for recommendation as Imo's candidate for Ministerial slot in
President Buhari's cabinet.
A non-governmental organization, Human Rights and Transparency Watch
sees the development as an embarrassment to the Buhari administration
and warned that it will challenge same in court if the Senate goes
ahead to confirm him.
Coordinator of the group, Frankly Nwaorisa, who bared his mind during
a telephone chat with The Agenda online urged the President to
reconsider the candidate, in the interest of his administration's
image.
According to him, appointing persons indicted for corruption into the
same cabinet that is expected to have zero tolerance for corruption
makes mockery of the entire idea and does not suggest any seriousness
on the part of Buhari in his so-much talked about anti-graft war.
Other citizens, particularly, APC stakeholders took turns to lambast
the choice of Professor Anwuka, describing governor Okorocha's motive
as selfish and unacceptable.
-UniversalReporters
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