Daud Olatunji
A major scandal has erupted at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) following allegations of abuse of office leveled against the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Owunari Abraham Georgewill.
The accusations, contained in a petition addressed to the university’s Governing Council through the Pro-Chancellor, were made by Faith Etunem Nnenanya, a lecturer in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
In the petition dated January 14, 2025, followed by a reminder dated February 17,2025, Nnenanya accused the Vice-Chancellor of gross misconduct, abuse of office, dereliction of duty, misinformation, suppression and falsification of records, corruption, bias, and double standard.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that the allegations revolve around the mismanagement of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Academic Staff Training and Development (AST&D) scholarships, which are meant to support academic staff in furthering their studies.
Nnenanya, who was awarded a TETFund Ph.D. scholarship in 2022 to study at the University of California, Davis, claimed that the Vice-Chancellor conspired with TETFund AST&D staff to deny her access to funds and refused to extend her study leave with pay, despite her eligibility.
… Alleged Manipulation of Scholarship List
According to the petition, the Vice-Chancellor allegedly tampered with the initial nomination list sent to TETFund by the Director of Academic Planning in August 2021.
The petition claims that Georgewill replaced eligible candidates with his loyalists, some of whom were non-academic staff.
It was further gathered that when TETFund AST&D vetted the list in December 2021, they discovered ineligible names and instructed the Vice-Chancellor to remove them.
However, he allegedly refused, leading to the cancellation of the entire list, including Nnenanya’s legitimate nomination.
Despite appealing the decision, Nnenanya faced additional hurdles.
She claimed that TETFund AST&D, allegedly working in collaboration with the Vice-Chancellor, deliberately miscalculated her tuition fees, leading to a major shortfall of over 66% in the approved funding.
The discrepancy, she stated, made it impossible for her to commence her studies, as the allocated funds would have left her stranded in a foreign country.
… Refusal To Extend Study Leave
Nnenanya also accused the Vice-Chancellor of deliberately refusing to extend her study leave with pay, a condition necessary for her continued academic pursuit.
She cited sections of the TETFund (Establishment, Etc.) Act, 2011, and the university’s staff conditions of service regulations, which she claims were violated by Georgewill’s actions.
… Legal Threats And Calls For Accountability
In a bid to seek justice, Nnenanya’s solicitor issued a notice of intention to sue TETFund over the miscalculated award sum.
She also alleged that the Vice-Chancellor failed to challenge TETFund AST&D’s decision to cancel the entire list, despite being aware that she was the only qualified nominee.
The petition included supporting documents, such as the original nomination list, scholarship approval letters, and tuition fee breakdowns, to substantiate her claims.
The allegations have sparked outrage within the academic community, with many calling for an independent probe into the matter.
As of press time, neither the Vice-Chancellor nor the university management has issued an official response to the allegations.
Efforts to reach the university’s spokesperson for comments proved abortive.
Meanwhile, stakeholders are calling on the university’s Governing Council and the Federal Ministry of Education to investigate the matter thoroughly and ensure that justice is served.
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