Kogi group backs Lokoja varsity VC over appointments crisis

Following the crisis over appointments in the Federal University, Lokoja, the Kogi Integrity Group (KIG) on Thursday said the allegations against the vice-chancellor, Prof Angela Miri, were unfounded and a political gang up by bad losers.

The president of KIG, Zacheaus Dare Michael, in a statement tasked the indigenes of the state to always verify the information before allowing their emotions to control their conduct.

Reacting to misinformation making the rounds about lopsided employment alleged to have been done at the university, he said findings had shown that Kogi state indigenes were the greatest beneficiaries of the employment opportunity.

Michael disclosed that out of the appointments made by the institution, 220 Kogi state indigenes were employed from the 400 made, saying being a federal university, other Nigerians as well have opportunities to be employed in the institution.

According to him, the rumor making the round that non indigenes were the ones favoured by the vice-chancellor is not true, describing Prof. Miri’s travail as politically masterminded, alleging that it was the handiwork of those behind the several written petitions and organised protest aimed at making governance difficult for her since her assumption in the institution as vice-chancellor.

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He added that rather than condemnation, the vice-chancellor should be commended, saying for a federal university whose employment opportunities are open to all Nigerians to have alloted 220 to Kogi state indigenes was a fair deal.

The KIG president explained that contrary to the impression created that the vice-chancellor singlehandedly made the employment, it was done by a committee with two staff of the Federal Character Commission taking part in the recruitment, denied the misinformation making the round.

He disclosed that the employment from available records followed due process as the final list of successful applicants was released only after due diligence, wondering why mischief-makers wanted to sacrifice the vice-chancellor after making a selfless sacrifice to develop the institution.

He added that disclosed that it is a public knowledge that the vice-chancellor inherited a university with dilapidated structure at the temporary site, but observed that the development at the temporary site under her leadership has greatly improved as at today.

He pointed out that through the efforts of Miri, works at the permanent site of the university were at ninety per cent completion with movement planned to the new campus for December this year.

Michael explained that under Miri’s leadership the institution has attained full accreditation for all her courses, calling for caution and not to allow tempers and emotions to destroy the good works and reputation of the vice-chancellor.

He equally disclosed that one effort of the vice-chancellor is the approval granted to the institution to begin the postgraduate in Masters and PhD programmes, urging all concerned Kogi stakeholders to appreciate her good works as a way to encourage her to do more.