The Transparency Initiative Nigeria has commended the Discipline, Dedication and Transparent leadership style of the University of Calabar Vice Chancellor, Prof. Zana Akpagu.
At a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the Media and Communication Director of Transparency Initiative Nigeria, Comrade Solomon Adodo said that Prof. Zana Akpagu deserves commendation as an internal whistleblower for refusing to cooperate with or condone the sleaze and unfettered corrupt antics of the erstwhile Bursar, Mr. Peter Agi.
“Clearly, Prof. Zana Akpagu by his actions has chronicled more than a million words can convey the true essence of the “Change begins with me” campaign of this administration. He remains a shining light for all administrators across board to borrow a leaf from in the school of patriotism and leadership, Adodo said.
The group called on the Federal Government to provide increased and special funding to the University of Calabar to enable her consolidates on the ongoing good works. Particularly, the government should use the newly created Department of Oceanography as a Launchpad to exploring the wealth potentials of Nigeria in the marine sector among others.
Excerpt is the full text of the press statement
BEING THE TEXT OF THE STATEMENT ISSUED BY TRANSPARENCY INITIATIVE NIGERIA AND HER CIVIL SOCIETY PARTNERS AT HER WORLD PRESS CONFERENCE CONSEQUENT UPON THE ASSESSMENT VISIT EMBARKED UPON BY THE CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS MONITORING TEAM
THE TRIUMPH OF DISCIPLINE, DEDICATION AND TRANSPARENT LEADERSHIP AT UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR
There is no denying the fact that education is the principal factor that propels the development and economic growth of any society vis-à-vis the standard of living of her citizenry. Nigeria as a Nation is no exception and if things must change for the better, then it must originate from our Ivory Towers. This significant fact has motivated Transparency Initiative Nigeria and her like-minded partner Civil Society Groups to beam the lights of scrutiny and attention on our educational Institutions.
In our quest for promoting transparency, prudent management of resources and disciplined administration in our tertiary institutions, our attention was drawn to the University of Calabar when a pseudo-Civil Society Group incited wild allegations of maladministration and Staff victimization (which were discovered to be entirely false, malice-laden and ill-motivated) against the Vice Chancellor of this second generation University. As a proactive Team that abhors unfair practices our investigative Team swung into action and came up with heartwarming findings that should normally hold a light to the face of other institutions of learning particularly the Universities.
Our diligent findings revealed that the University of Calabar even though a second generation University lagged behind on many fronts and did not even come close to being even a shadow of what was expected of her as an Institution. The plight of University of Calabar was only to be worsened by the appointment of an inexperienced, haughty and avariciously corrupt Bursar (in 2010) in the person of Mr. Peter Agi who made it an obsession and determined penchant to pitch his personal aggrandizement against the University’s wheels of progress.
The University of Calabar groaned in pains, gradually grinded to stagnation and soon hit the path of retardation down the cesspit of oblivion as Mr. Peter Agi transmuted into a demigod and Pharaoh of sorts holding both Staff, Students and Contractors by the jugular all in a bid to accumulate and divert the University funds into his private coffers. The Peter Agi years can best be described as the dinosaur-locust era as he gave no heed to reason rather than random abuse of University rules, appropriation/procurement processes and relegated transparency to the back seat.
To our utter dismay we further gathered from contractors, that Mr. Peter Agi was in the habit of sitting on funds approved for payment to contractors – definitely with sinister pecuniary intentions – and this stalled major construction projects which should have further etched the University up the ladder of academic glory and acclaim. The Joint Council/Senate Committee Investigation report further revealed that Mr. Peter Agi compromised the University of Calabar fees payment portal and in the process over Two Hundred Million naira remains untraced till date. Furthermore, in an attempt to conserve and divert funds Mr. Agi deprived several Departments of the University of Funds needed for procurement of critical equipment and projects thus these deprived Departments failed to meet the NUC standards for accreditation. All these acts of impunity, Council/Senate Committee and his appointment was duly terminated in consonance with due process paving way for accelerated progress in the University.
At this juncture we must reflect that recently the Media was suffused with all forms of negative news aimed at tarnishing the unimpeachable reputation of the University of Calabar Vice Chancellor and casting the image of the University in bad light. These needless Media blackmail against the Change compliant UniCal are sponsored work of the erstwhile Bursar Mr. Peter Agi who had single handedly hijacked the University funds until his appointment was terminated. It should be known that Mr. Agi failed to explore avenues for internal dispute resolution and resorted to using faceless groups to fight against the wind of progress that is sweeping across the University of Calabar. Within a short while Mr. Agi had used his position as Bursar to feather his nest and acquire several posh cars, outlandish mansions and choice properties across the nation. We thus call for even sterner sanctions on Mr. Agi to enable the University recover the funds which Mr. Agi looted.
Prof. Zana Akpagu deserves commendation as an internal whistleblower for refusing to cooperate with or condone the sleaze and unfettered corrupt antics of the erstwhile Bursar. Clearly, Prof. Zana Akpagu by his actions has chronicled more than a million words can convey the true essence of the “Change begins with me” campaign of this administration. He remains a shining light for all administrators across board to borrow a leaf from in the school of patriotism and leadership.
On assumption of Office, Prof. Akpagu embarked on the inspection of all TETFund projects within the University which were in a state of abandonment. After due assessment, the administration immediately swung into action and injected the TETFund budget (which the erstwhile Bursar had kept idle) into critical projects. Thus within two months the Faculty of Dentistry Building was commenced and completed while the Faculty of Medicine now also has an ultra-modern massive building newly built to cater to her learning needs. Other projects which had been complete or were under construction include:
- Reconstructed University gate house with CCTV and LED Billboard for enhanced security.
- Ultra-modern car park to cater for influx of visitors and ease traffic during special events such as Inaugural Lectures, Convocation and Matriculation ceremonies.
- Construction of mini stadium.
- Hall of residence for post graduate students.
- Renovation of female hostel and other University structures with uniform painting for all buildings.
- 120 room capacity hostel under construction.
- Ultra-modern Medical Center for the University.
- A hatchery for the Department of Oceanography.
- Two boreholes with overhead tanks for 24-hour water supply to the University Community.
- Twin lecture theater and Faculty building for the Faculty of Law.
- Faculty of engineering building.
- Faculty of Education building.
- Classrooms and Offices for the Institute of Education.
- Administrative block for academic Staff offices.
- Dance studio for the Department of Theater Arts.
- Media Arts studios for Mass Communication Department.
- 500-seat twin lecture pavilion.
- Refurbishment of all Science laboratories and supply with gas from a centralized system.
- Faculty of Sciences building presently undergoing construction.
A paradoxical phenomenon which the current Vice Chancellor set out to correct was the open insult that dwarfed UniCal before other second generation Universities to wit the absence of critical Faculties and Departments. The University now boast of a Faculty of Engineering with full accreditation, the Department of Music, Tourism and Oceanography have also come onboard with the first set of students matriculated. Thus breaking a jinx of several decades.
Perhaps the unparalleled devotion of Prof. Zana Akpagu to changing University of Calabar for the better is buoyed by the fact that he is the first ever Alumnus to be appointed Vice Chancellor. A striking factor that has significantly helped in pursuing the vision of excellence innovation and inventiveness at UniCal under the leadership of Prof. Zana Akpagu is his firm adherence to due process, respect for other Staff (irrespective of ranking) and Team spirit.
Transparency Initiative and her Civil Society partners wholly commend Prof. Akpagu for the rapid pace of evident development to meet the felt needs of the University of Calabar community and Nigeria by extension through the training of well-rounded Graduates to innovatively meet specific industry/market place needs.
May we therefore use this medium to call on other Administrators of academic Institutions to glean invaluable lessons from the disciplined, dedicated and transparent manner which Prof. Zana Akpagu has administered the affairs of the University of Calabar as Vice Chancellor.
Finally, we call on the Federal Government to provide increased and special funding to the University of Calabar to enable her consolidate on the ongoing good works. Particularly, the government should use the newly created Department of Oceanography as a Launchpad to exploring the wealth potentials of Nigeria in the marine sector among others.
Nigeria can rise to world acclaim in the comity of developed nations if we give education the needed attention beginning from our citadels of learning.
Amb. Yomi David
Executive Secretary
Transparency Initiative Nigeria
Executive Secretary
Transparency Initiative Nigeria
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