Florence Uwaeme
The House of Representatives’ Committee on Public Petitions, on Wednesday, threatened to issue a bench warrant against the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Ndowa Lale.
This is as the committee commenced hearing into the Petition against the University by 1277 aggrieved graduates.
The graduates had on the 18th of August petitioned Prof. Ndowa Lale, Uniport’s Vice-Chancellor and the university to the House of Representatives for the refusal of the institution to mobilize them for the mandatory one-year national youth service.
The petition was sent to the House through Engr. Solomon Adaelu, member representing Obingwa, Osisioma and Ugwunagbo Federal Constituency who presented and submitted it on the floor of the House.
The graduates said the school is withholding their Degree Certificates and refusing to mobilize them for the compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) because they paid their final year school fees late.
The Students who came in their numbers for the Hearing explained the difficulty and frustration the refusal of the VC to allow them to mobilize for NYSC for the past three years have caused them.
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According to them, the School Authority has adopted all manners of intimidation and victimization to suppress them from protesting against ‘its act of wickedness that has resulted in the payment of their final year tuition fee twice”; yet the VC refused to allow them to graduate and be awarded the Degrees of their different Departments.
They informed the Committee about the killing of their colleague, Peter Opurum by the Police who acted on the instructions of the School Authority when they tried to engage in a peaceful protest over the inhuman treatment by the VC.
They equally stated that a female student committed suicide recently due to depression caused by the hopelessness of their situation.
Chairman of the Committee, Hon Jerry Alagbaoso expressed sadness over the plight of the Students and pleaded with them to exercise patience as the Committee is poised to ensure that justice is served in the case.
He frowned at the absence of the VC or any of his representative at the hearing and threatened to invoke the Powers of the Parliament to issue a bench warrant on any recalcitrant Public Servant who fails to honour the invitation of the House.
The hearing was, however, adjourned to Wednesday 6th of November, 2019 for a definite hearing.
While addressing the Students in his Office after the sitting, Hon Solomon Adaelu berated the conduct of the Vice-Chancellor towards the future of the 1,227 Students and promised to use every Legislative Instrument to ensure that justice is served.
