Barring any last-ditch efforts by the supervisory authorities, the five-year-old Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO), Benue State may soon implode.
Staff, Management and service providers accuse the Vice Chancellor, Prof Innocent Ujah of unpaid salaries, contract scam, violation of due process in procurement process and poor condition of service.
The Nigerian Anchor investigations reveal a cesspool of financial malfeasance arising from the processes of contract award, implementation and payment as well as misappropriation of monies meant for payment of staff salaries and allowances.
Insiders who spoke to us narrated instances where critical infrastructural projects were awarded to inexperienced contractors, while some of the projects fully paid for were still at various stages of completion.
As the tenure of the pioneer Vice Chancellor, Prof Innocent Ujah wears out therefore, staff and service providers are in palpable fear and overwhelmed with a sense of trepidation wondering if they would ever be paid.
The Federal University Health of Services Otukpo was first established on 20th May, 2015 by former President Goodluck Jonathan. It could however, not commence operations because President Muhammadu Buhari suspended its establishment. This was later restored on June 6, 2019.
Prof Ujah and other Principal Officers and Council members of the University were appointed on 12th May, 2020.
Threat of Legal Action
Already, a real estate firm, ZIGGCHUBS Resources Nigeria Ltd, acting through its lawyer, has threatened to sue the university in a law court over a N14million debt owed by the University for the rental of a hostel accommodation for female students.
In a letter dated July 3rd, 2024 and addressed to the Dean of Student Affairs of the University, Barr E. A. Ogalekwu issued a seven-day Pre-Action Notice on the institution.
In the letter, it was alleged that the Management of the University reneged on their commitment to pay N14million, being the balance of an agreed rental sum of N22million on a property it hired as hostel for its female students. This debt had lingered for over a year and the property owner threatened to recover the property.
Nigerian Anchor checks at the law firm reveal that as of September 2, 2024, the University was yet to redeem the pledge, despite the fact that money realized from the sale of bed spaces to the students could have offset the indebtedness.
It was also disclosed that the university replied to their letter pleading for two weeks extension of time, which had elapsed.
Poor Condition of Service and Work Environment
A source close to the management of the university, who spoke to us on condition of anonymity alleged that some projects at various stages of completion had been fully paid for while alleging also, that the Departments of Microbiology and physics is one single building project being passed off as two different projects.
Another reliable source also alleged that the administration’s claim of completing abandoned projects at the sum of N200million was a hoax, wondering, “What is the evidence of abandoned projects for a four-year-old university?”
A very senior member of the management who felt disappointed by the overall performance of the outgoing VC lamented that by his conduct, Prof. Ujah denied the university the opportunity of a good start “as a world class citadel of learning that was aspiration of the founding fathers.”
The staff member cited the example of a sister Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun that was established barely two years ago, boasting of an outstanding array of completed critical infrastructural facilities while FUHSO does not have any.
PLEASE SEE: Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun. Schedule of Completed and ongoing projects.
“We have not commissioned any project. The University is on autopilot as we have absentee VC who looks in occasionally on Thursdays and departs by Fridays.
While absent all financial decisions must await his return.” He complained.
At a recent town hall meeting with staff members to douse tension and forestall likely breakdown of law and order, the Governing Council of the University was inundated with a long list of complaints bothering on poor welfare and a lack of foresight on the part of the University Administration.
The workers complained that almost five years after its establishment, the university does not have a defined condition and scheme of service thereby leading to a haphazard recruitment and placement of personnel.
Items 2, and 3 on the long list of welfare issues for which the staff members demanded attention were, “2. Payment of backlog of salary for staff captured in 2022 (some are owed arears of more than 12 calendar months); 3. Capturing of staff members that are yet to be captured, some have spent up to two (2) years without drawing salary and they are breadwinners.”
Additionally, item 4, which contained serials (a-l) emphasized the “Absence of conditions and scheme of service.” and “No appraisal of staff has been done but staff are due for promotion and steps increment this year.”
In the face all these challenges, another staff told us, the VC paid himself a hefty sum of N11million as DTA, while newly recruited staff being 28 days allowance, amongst others.
When contacted for his own side of the story, Prof Ujah, rebuffed Nigerian Anchor, querying why it was just now that the paper was showing interest in the running of the university. “I am used to the media writing stuff about me” he said.
As of press time, he was yet to reply to the questions we sent to him, hoping he would oblige us with a response.
