Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has been urged to set up a panel to probe the alleged mismanagement of funds by the Provost of Abia State College of Education, Technical, Arochukwu, Prof Vincent Onwe
According to the petitioners , Prof Onwe enmeshed himself in alleged mismanagement of twenty-seven million Naira (N27m), which led to the blacklist of the college by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund ( TETFUND).
According to the group Concerned Indigenes of Arochukwu Kingdom, Prof Onwe had between October 2023 when he was appointed Provost to January this year withdrew the sum of eighteen million from Tetfund account.
According to the group in the petition signed by Mazi Agodi Kanu, the Provost similarly mismanaged the sum of Nine Million meant for Tetfund scholarship for Chinenye Ogbonna.
The group attached documents showing that the tampering of Tetfund account which was meant for the payment of contractors has led to the stoppage of execution of projects in the institution.
According to them, because the contractors refused to give kick back to the management of the institution, the Provost refused to pay them, leading to their withdrawal of services.
They also faulted Prof Vincent Onwe on his style of leadership which has led to the collapse of discipline in ASCETA within the last eight months.
According to them, the Provost resides in Umuahia and comes to school once in two weeks, with the result that the staff are also staying away from the college.
They noted that such administrative lapses have led to the college turning into a mini forest with dangerous reptiles taking over every part of the institution.
They say matters had been worsened by high level of nepotism by the Provost which has led to the appointment of Umuahia people where the Provost hails from into sensitive posts to the exclusion of Arochukwu people who are the host community.
They therefore urged the governor to painstakingly investigate the allegations to ascertain whether Prof Vincent Onwe is the right and proper person to occupy the seat of the Provost..