I Will Sanitize Enugu Varsity

Chidi I. Ugwu, Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, was, recently, appointed Acting Vice Chancellor of Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) by Governor Sullivan Chime amidst chaos occasioned by endless strike actions by the workforce of the institution. In this interview with KlinReports, Professor Ugwu draws his blue print for the university and its workers.

You were recently appointed Acting Vice Chancellor of the troubled Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT). How do you go about your task of restoring sanity in the citadel-of-learning?

I thank God for the appointment. What I have done was consultations with the stake-holders in the university. I have had rapport with the professors in the university. I have had rapport with leaders of the unions. I have, also, had a rapport with all the workers of ESUT. These consultations and the attendant rapport is to pave way for them to know the agenda which I have.

What are the agenda?

The major problem in ESUT is rumor mongering. There are so many rumors here and there. And there are lot of other things going on which we need to correct. But the major agenda is to have peace restored the institution between management and labor. That is the first major agenda I am going to tackle.

Your predecessor, the former Vice Chancellor had fractured relationship with most segments of the university community. How do you hope to improve on his failures?

That’s what I just stated. I want management, labor good relationship.
One of the reasons for the strike action by the workers was months of indebtedness to them. How do you hope to clear the backlog of debts owed the workforce?
In ESUT, there are external problems, and there are internal ones. The external problems had to do with government because government is the owner of the university. Government has appointed me, and has given me some mandate on what I should do. And I am putting them in place, to submit the problems to the government, and I am hoping that when I submit it, they will be able to meet some of them. They cannot do everything once, but, at least, the workers will smile.
There had, also, been complaints of insecurity on campus. How do you intend to tackle this issue of adequate security in the institution?

There can never be adequate security. Everyone of us knows that, but all of us should be preventive in whatever we are doing. For now, if all of us come to work at the proper time, the tendency is that insecurity will reduce because everybody is there. But if it is just very few persons that do come to work, the tendency is that those persons could be harassed and robbed. So, my appeal is that all workers should come to work as at when due. By so doing, security will be beefed up.

One of the allegations against your predecessor bordered on admission racketeering. How would your administration handle the issue of admissions in ESUT?

It is not only admissions. Everything I will do in ESUT would be transparent enough. I will carry everybody along.

Did you envisage your appointment as Vice Chancellor?

Not at all. It came to me as a surprise because the time my predecessor was appointed, both of us applied for it. And he was nominated. So, I thank God for the appointment.