Owing to the smooth transition from college of education to a federal university of education, the ongoing appraisal and staff placement at the Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri (AIFUE), has attracted commendations and praises from critical stakeholders of the society, particularly, members of Imo Newspaper Editors/Columnists Forum and Centre for Mass Mobilization for Justice Initiatives (CeMoJI).
This commendations was sequel to independent and separate investigations carried out by the two groups to find out the veracity or otherwise, of claims by some staff of the institution on the pages of newspapers, about victimization, demotion and inappropriate placement and appraisal, by the management of the university.
Imo Newspaper Editors and Columnists Forum led by Comr Chinedu Opara and the Secretary, Comr Ifeanyi Onyekachi who carried out the investigation on behalf of the group, revealed that the open mindedness, human face and obedience to the rules applied by the university management led by the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof Stella Ngozi Lemchi, in carrying out the placement and appraisal of the staff to fit into the new reality of the university, can best be described as transparent and godly.
The group observed that rather than initiate the demotion or misplacement of staff in their right order, the management has been at the forefront of ensuring that their colleagues (staff) who have worked hard and suffered for the institution are not unduly shortchanged.
Further investigation revealed that neither the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof Stella Ngozi Lemchi, nor any member of the management team invented any other rules of placement and appraisal outside that which was approved by National University Commission (NUC)- the regulatory body of Nigeria Universities, and guidelines from the university governing council. The group therefore considered it unfair and act of giving a dog a bad name to kill it, for any staff or employee of the institution to use the media to tarnish the hard earn reputation of the Acting Vice Chancellor, the University Registrar or any member of the management team.
Similarly, the Coordinator of (CeMoJI), Dr. Emmanuel Enyi, while commending the great work of the management team of AIFUE, at this critical period of ensuring seamless transition, noted that transition from a college of education to federal university is quite uncommon and will definitely cause a shake up in the system. Dr. Enyi opined that those accusing the management of wrong doing are suffering from “change shock’ occasioned by the transition. He urged the staff to appreciate the Acting VC who has been obviously discharging her duties with fairness and fear of God. He described Prof Lemchi as a workaholic and target driven who should not allow detractors to affect the good job she is doing. He called on the entire staff of the university to brace up with the new realities, make adjustment where necessary and shun the temptation to use the media to fan the embers of war which eventually affects the university image before the public.
Recall that to show her high preference for staff welfare, the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof Lemchi, upon assumption of office worked assiduously to clear the backlog of staff promotion and conversion. For the first time in the history of the institution, over twenty persons were promoted to the rank of Chief Lecturer of the institution at the same time while over one hundred non- teaching staff were appropriately place.