The Federal Government on Thursday directed the outgoing Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Ndowa Lale, to embark on compulsory leave.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Regina Ogali, was directed to take over the affairs of the institution, pending the appointment of a substantive VC.
The directive was contained in a May 29 letter signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, on behalf of the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.
The letter, sighted by our correspondent, said the arrangement would take effect from June 12, 2020.
Meanwhile, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, University of Port Harcourt branch, has demanded the immediate reconstitution of the institution’s Governing Council.
The union’s demand is coming on the heels of the dissolution of the varsity’s Governing Council on May 27, 2020, by the Federal Government.
In a statement on Wednesday by its Chairman, Dr Austen Sado, ASUU said the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), should respect the provisions of the Universities Miscellaneous Amendment Act and immediately constitute a Governing Council for University of Port Harcourt.
Sado said, “Without engaging in any form of legalese, it is clear beyond equivocation that any council so dissolved shall almost immediately be reconstituted as if the council were not ab initio dissolved.”