By Austin Ogwuda
THE Rector of Ogwashi Uku Polytechnic, Professor Emmanuel Achuenu said he has complied one hundred percent with the the order handed down to the school management by the Delta State House of Assembly within which to reinstate a demoted female lecturer.
But the Rector, but on the other hand, seemed to be grumbling over the reinstatement issue when he interacted with some newsmen on Wednesday, stressing that “if someone gives you directives you must respond and when responding, you also have to look at the case”.
Hear him, “She has been reinstated before, it is just an issue of nomenclature or maybe the assignment. The issue is about someone who has been pardoned from the origin, which is an issue of non-academic and moving her to academic is the one in contention because it is the Council that is handling it not even the school management.
“This matter we are talking about is not even before the management, it is a Council matter. I only saw the need from the management angle and quickly treated it but unfortunately, before the issue was dispensed we had that summon.
“This is an institution that has an interest in compliance, we don’t have any reasons to fail directives but the way it happens it looks as if we don’t want to comply. You know this is an institution and when you are doing something you must look in all directions so that whatever you are doing will not be faulted as well.
“If somebody gives you directives you must respond and when responding, you also have to look at the case.
I am a new person in this matter they are talking about, I wasn’t even involved. It happened from 2015 to 2017, mine is just a post manager of the case, Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku is not willing to flout any order in whatever way.
“We are happy to comply in totality and whatever the grey area is, it is not an issue. Anything grey area can be corrected but whatever it is, we have fully complied one hundred percent”, he told reporters.
The Townhall gathered that one Mrs Grace Adah, a lecturer was demoted from lecturer 1 to non-academic staff in 2015 due to undisclosed corruption allegation.
Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Arthur Akpowowo who doubles as the Chairman of Assembly Committee on Legislative Compliance had accused the management of the school of purported foot-dragging on the reinstatement, a resolution of the House passed since the 7th Assembly presided over by Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, as the Speaker then, now the State governor.
He told the Rector when he appeared before the committee on Tuesday that , “in your letter which you sent to us, it was obvious that you were not ready to implement our resolution.
“Our duty as a committee is to ensure that we do justice to every case that is reported to the State Assembly. By your letter, it is evident that you do not have respect for this House.
“There was certainly no reason for you to have replied us in the manner and tone as contained in your letter. We have sent several letters to you. This is our last meeting with you on this matter”.
*Additional report from Golden Nation Blog
