Education
Crisis Brews At CRUTECH As Ayade Appoints New VC
The Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, has appointed an acting Vice-Chancellor of the Cross River State University of Technology (CRUTECH).
He is Prof. Ogar David Abua.
It was gathered that Prof. Ogar David Abua from University of Calabar (Unical) was appointed the new acting VC for CRUTECH, the appointment was effective November 7th 2019.
According to findings, the appointment was against choices made by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASU) of the University, a development that may lead to bad blood between the governor and ASUU.
The union has vowed not to accept any other candidate aside one from the list of five names submitted to the Governor.
The Registrar of CRUTECH, Mr. Gabriel Beshel who confirmed the appointment to newsmen via a phone conversation, however, said ASUU had nothing to do with the appointment.
“Governor Ben Ayade is the visitor to the University. It is only him that has the power to appoint the VC of the University. He has the power to appoint anybody to an acting position in the University. ASU does not have such powers and we have no idea about their choice”.
The state Chief Press Secretary Mr. Christian Ita also confirmed the appointment saying that the press release to that effect came from the
office of the Secretary to the State Government.
Already, there is tension in the University as ASUU, CRUTECH chapter convened an emergency meeting with a view to downing tools in the University.
Meanwhile, the lecturers in the University have returned the students examination scripts of both final year students and others to the office of the Vice Chancellor.
Friday Nwagbara, Calabar