Just-In: MOUAU Clarifies Vice-Chancellor’s Role in Recruitment Exercise

The Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) has issued a clarification stating that its Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, played no role in the institution’s recent staff recruitment exercise.

In a statement released by the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and signed by Anyaso Anyaso, Head of Public Relations and Protocol, on behalf of the university, the university explained that the recruitment process, including the capturing of successful applicants for payroll, had already been concluded before Prof. Akanwa assumed office as Vice-Chancellor on March 1, 2026.

According to the statement, the Vice-Chancellor has consistently informed members of the university community that anyone seeking clarification on the recruitment exercise should direct their enquiries to those who managed the process before her appointment.

The university further disclosed that the Federal Government had approved the recruitment of 426 staff, a figure that was also endorsed by the Governing Council.

However, it stated that appointment letters were issued to 618 individuals, while 553 names were captured on the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).

Ultimately, only the 426 positions approved by the Federal Government and the Governing Council were uploaded.

MOUAU also emphasised that the Vice-Chancellor has no access to the GIFMIS platform and therefore lacks the authority to remove or alter any names uploaded to the system.

The university urged members of the public and stakeholders to disregard what it described as misleading insinuations by mischief-makers and to rely solely on official university channels for accurate information.