The Commitee on the Review of newly established Tertiary Institutions in Imo State has explained why the Imo State Government had to take over the Eastern Palm university, Ogboko.
The university was owned by former Governor Rochas Okorocha after the 8th Imo Assembly had allotted 90 percent equity shares to trustees of Rochas Foundation and 10 percent to Imo State Government.
Chairman of the Commitee, Prof Jude Njoku told newsmen in Owerri, that the Eastern Palm university has now been converted to a campus of the Imo State university.
He said the commitee established a prima facie that the institution was established with state funds.
The commitee further recommended that both the Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Aboh/Okpala and the University of Science and Technology, Umuna should remain campuses of Imo State University while Aboh/Okpala will be the campus for Agriculture and veterinary medicine, and Umuna will be for engineering as earlier conceived.
According to him, a Judicial Commission of Inquiry is in the offing to determine the sources of funding and ownership structure of the university.
Prof Njoku explained that based on the findings of the Commitee at the National Universities Commission, NUC it was gathered that approval was given to EPU as the second university in Imo, 47th State university and 143rd Nigerian University.
In addition, Njoku stated that it was discovered that the land was purchased and paid for by the State Government.
The commitee also scrapped all polytechnics former Governor Rochas Okorocha administration established
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