Despite the hue and cry from a section of the state against the amendment of the law for the newly established Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Studies from Ngor Okpala/Aboh Mbaise to the Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo location, Trumpeta can reveal that one of the significant changes in the amended law is the scrapping of the caveat that empowered the institution to operate as a private partnership system.
Members of the Imo State House of Assembly had last Friday amended the law for certain changes which somehow created rancor among the lawmakers.
It would be recalled that few weeks to the exit of former governor Rochas Okorocha, he established many institutions including the Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Studies at Umuagwo while the originating law stated Ngor Okpala/Aboh Mbaise.
However, the Imo State Polytechnic host community, Umuagwo, where Okorocha sited the institution, kicked against the development alleging that it was a grand design by the former governor and his cronies to surreptiously take possession of the enormous land resources and already made facilities for their personal gains.
Trumpeta also recall that the owners of Imo Poly land, Umuagwo protested for days and locked up the school gates insisting that it would not accept such arrangement where private operators take over possession of the schools.
Among the issues that prompted the community to resist the commencement of the University during that era was a Public Partnership caveat where the operators have 90% leaving only 10% to government. The community was not comfortable with the naming of the then Rector of Imopoly, Rev Fr Wence Madu as Pro Chancellor.
The community also frowned at the return of Fr Madu, who after eight years as Imo Poly Rector was appointed as Pro Chancellor, having built a sour relationship with Imo Poly landlords throughout his tenure.
But in the new law which has been amended by the House members and the governor accented, Trumpeta learnt that the controversial PDP clause has been removed and no longer part of the new varsity’s law while Uzodinma removed the idea of Multi campus in the entire arrangement.
It was learnt that the PPP clause in the new University was designed by some person to take over possession of the school wholly under cover which irked the land owners to protest.
