Controversy Over Appointment Of New Registrar At Crutech As Alumni Protests

Controversy is currently surrounding the planned appointment of a new registrar for the Cross River State University of Technology, Calabar, following the retirement of Mr. Emmanuel Ikpi.

Workers of the institution, who are members of the CRUTECH Alumni Association, are protesting against the process of selecting Ikpi’s successor.

In a protest letter to the Chairman of the CRUTECH Governing Council, the association disagreed with the authorities for accepting an application to fill in the vacant position from a former member of staff (name withheld), who failed to return to the school after completing his one-year sabbatical at the Federal University Lafia, Nasarawa State, in 2013.

While members of the association are insisting that Ikpi’s successor should come from among one of the deputy registrars in the school, the governing council said that the association’s role in the matter was only advisory.

National President and Secretary of the association, David Mboto, and Charles Inah, in the letter dated May 1, 2015, after the 25th National Executive Committee meeting, said it was imperative for the authorities to appoint a registrar from among the deputy registrars who met the requirement instead of seeking an external person.

The letter reads, “The appointment of an external person as registrar will only serve the purpose of him coming for the benefits of the office with no stake in the welfare of members of staff, students and the overall development of the university.”

Also, the chairman of the alumni Registrar Selection Committee, Mr. Jeremiah Ukam, said it was wrong for the university management to consider an application from a candidate, who refused to return to the institution after a one-year sabbatical leave.

But a member of the CRUTECH Governing Council, Mr. John Ukam, said the council was not bound to take the advice of the association.

He said, “The association is a pressure group. Its members have the right to mount pressure on management but we may choose to accept or ignore their advice. The matter in question was debated and the council has taken a position, which would soon be made public. Anyone who feels he is not satisfied should seek redress.”

PunchNg