Imo Govt Recovers Eastern Palm University from Okorocha’s Family
Hope Uzodinma
From = Everest Ezihe, Owerri
There are strong indications that Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has poised to recover Eastern Palm University at Ogboko in Orlu fraudulently alleged to have been acquired by Senator Rochas Okorocha, the immediate past Governor of the university who ironically acquired the university as part of his private assets.
To demonstrate their willingness to acquire the institution, the state government has expressed their commitment to henceforth deal decisively with anyone or group of persons ready to test the will of government over ownership of the university
The Executive Council of Imo State took the decision at its weekly meeting held yesterday and presided over by the Governor ofImo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma.
Addressing newsmen at the Government House Owerri, the Imo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, informed that theEastern Palm University was accredited by Nigerian University Commission (NUC) as the second Imo State owed University.
According to the Commissioner the Council disclosed their intention while accepting the Whitepaper Report on Land Use and Related Matters which recognized that the Eastern Palm University is owned by the state.
The council he said further resolved that all necessary steps must be taken to recover the University from fraudulent claimants which allegedly include Senator Okorocha and his family members.
The Whitepaper, according to the Commissioner, “recommended thatthe University should be recovered and appropriately designated as a StateUniversity in accordance with the laid down guidelines of NUC.
Consequently, Council has directed the relevant Ministries totake immediate steps to implement the decisions of the Executive Council asthey concern the Whitepaper Report, he assured.
Further buttressing the Whitepaper report, the Executive Councilstressed that Eastern Palm University was not only registered with NUC assecond Imo State University, but was built and funded with Imo State tax payersmoney, hence government will not waste time to implement therecommendations of the Whitepaper.
Emelumba also said that in the nearest future government will decideon what to do with the University and that the people of Imo State will beinformed appropriately.
The Commissioner was accompanied by the Commissioner for Tourismand Culture, Barr. (Mrs.) Doris Akubue-Onyeali stating that “now that theUniversity has been recovered and returned to the State, anybody seen at thesite or premises parading himself or herself in any manner in terms ofownership or otherwise will be dealt with decisively.”
On the plight of the students and workers, theCommissioner said the Council assuaged their fear, noting that none of themwill be made to suffer for anything they are innocent of.
He added that the relevant Ministries and Agencies have beencharged to handle such cases as they may be applicable to the fullimplementation of the Whitepaper.
In another development, the Council has cleared the air on theorchestrated N8.9billion Fidelity Bank “Loan” approved by the ImoState House of Assembly, describing the insinuation as unfounded.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy clarified that themoney in question is not a loan, but Imo State Government’s share from theExcess Crude Account from the Federal Government.
He said what Imo State Government did was simply to use herENTITLEMENT to get the money in bulk from Fidelity, her customer bank, insteadof waiting for it to come to the state installmentally.
He therefore reiterated that the Imo State government underGovernor Uzodimma has not borrowed from any bank yet and as regards N8.9billionit is Imo State money that the governor has requested from her customer bankand not a loan.
