Fides Media Living the Faith
By Abuchi Onwumelu
The Vice Chancellor of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Professor Greg Nwakoby, has debunked rumours that the school management has increased its school fees, describing the rumour as baseless, unfounded and laughable.
Speaking exclusively to Fides, Prof. Nwakoby, a Professor of Law, said the school had always had in mind the sufferings and difficulty parents and guardians of their students faced on a daily basis just to give their children and wards quality education.
His words, ‘My attention has been drawn to one hopeless gossip. My position is that the publication is fallacious. It is unfounded in facts. I have decided to respond to it as it is misleading.
‘He is writing from the point of ignorance and foolishness as we did not increase our school fees even by one kobo. Students living in hostels are the people paying hostel fees and we did not increase our hostel fees even by one kobo.
‘The students union has served for almost two years and election of the students’ union executive is fixed for October since the former executive has graduated. Nobody is paying N10, 000 for students’ union dues in our school.
‘We have two medical centres at Uli and Igbariam. A new medical centre has been built at Igbariam Campus. Our Medical Centres are functional with more than two medical doctors and three NYSC doctors respectively,’ Prof. Nwakoby concluded.
Reacting, the Public Relations Officer of COOU, Dr. Christian Chukwuebuka, described as false and malicious, the on-line publication, alleging that the university had increased its school fees.
‘We did not increase our school fees; our school fees are not increased in any form or shape and nobody is thinking of doing so now,’ he insisted.
The PRO stated that students went on long vacation in July and following the expiration of the SUG’s tenure, the University Management constituted a committee to take care of their election on resumption in October, 2019, saying there was no disbandment as being falsely circulated.
He further stated that the university had three campuses with an Acting Medical Director and two other doctors living at Uli campus and two other doctors who were on Youth Service, adding that at Igbariam Campus, there were two medical centres; one at the old site and the other at the new site; while in a case of critical situation, the person can be referred to COOU Teaching Hospital, Amaku, Awka.
On the alleged payment of hostel fees by those not living inside the campus, he described it as false and unfounded, stating that no right thinking person could ask any student not living in the school hostel to pay rent.
Dr. Chukwuebuka therefore asked the general public to ignore what he described as the misleading publication, noting that Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University was forever focused.
He said the Visitor of the university, Governor Willie Obiano, was an education and youth friendly governor who would not want to inflict such pain on the students.