EBSU VC debunks rumour of selling varsity tipper

By Amarachi Ehia, Abakaliki

The Vice Chancellor of Ebonyi state University, Prof. Chigozie Ogbu has denied selling tipper belonging to the institution.

Prof. Ogbu alongside other management members of the institution explained that prior to the written report of one of the school driver that the vehicle was towed by uniform men at the Mechanic site where it was parked, the tipper was recovered in a forest at a boundary area between Ikwo Local government area of Ebonyi state and cross river state.

One Chika Nwoba has on his Facebook page alleged that EBSU VC had auctioned the tatar tipper and other useable vehicles of the institution but Prof. Ogbu during a press briefing in his office debunked the allegations.

He said, “We want to put the fact clear, in the university there is a statutory committee called board of survey and they are responsible periodically to go round and see what things are no longer in use in the university, they are obsolete and so when they do that, they conferred with the director works to also confirm that what they are saying is right. When that is done that committee sits, makes their recommendations to the VC. 

“Since I came here, I’m used to auctioning the World Bank and TETFUND style, which is If you want to do auctioning anything you put it out on the public can give them the location and tell them to go and inspect that property and when they do they should make their bid. And a date for opening the bid is appointed; everybody who nodded will be at that meeting.

“But this time a number of issues came up, usually people who either against you or the university or just want to create problem start talking about what they don’t know. First there was this Issue that the VC was auctioning university property because he is leaving, we ignored it, then the other one was were our driver reported that our tipper was missing and I called my DVC  to find out what happened.

Also, the EBSU Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Chika Nwafor said, “on the instruction of the VC, I went to Government House in the company of the tipper driver, to meet the Chief Security Officer, Government House who refuted the allegation and made it clear that Ebonyi State Government has no hands in the missing University tipper. During interrogation of the driver by the CSO, it was discovered that the driver’s statement was contradictory; having initially told the university authorities that the truck was parked at the Mechanic Village for repairs, now changed his statement that it was parked in a widow’s compound.

“Consequently, the CSO called the Police to handle the matter so that the,vehicle could be recovered. During police investigations, the driver who is an employee of the university revealed the phone number which earlier called to inform him that the tipper was towed by Government House Officials in Army Uniform.

“Through the phone number, the police discovered the towing Van that moved the vehicle to a thick forest at the boundary between Ikwo Local Government Area and a Cross River Community. The police Crack Squad travelled to the forest in the company of the driver who towed the truck while the university tipper driver was left behind at the station for more investigations. 

“The tipper was later successfully recovered by the police after a gun battle with the hoodlums. It is currently parked at the Cabinet Office, Abakaliki. Prior to the recovery, the truck had been completely refurbished, and repainted. While the original colour was yellow, the hoodlums changed it to blue colour.

The University Tipper was never listed for auction and was not parked at the Mechanic Village.

A statement by the Public Relations Officer, of the institution Patrick Itumo which reiterated that of the DVC described Nwobas Facebook statement as a malicious allegation.

“The malicious allegation by Chika Nwoba that the Vice-Chancellor sold the university tipper is blatant falsehood, unfounded and only a figment of his beclouded imagination and very uncharitable.

Whatever the writer aimed to achieve by that blatant and cheap blackmail, is laughable and untenable, simply because it is completely impossible to tarnish the hard-earned reputation of the Vice-Chancellor, His Excellency, Elder Prof. Chigozie N. Ogbu, who has worked so tirelessly to put the name 3 of EBSU on the World Map, through his numerous academic, positive and developmental policies”.