BREAKING: IMT: Former Chief of Staff, Nwobodo under probe as gov’t set up 8-man panel

Enugu State former Chief of Staff under former Governor Sullivan Chime and present Chairman, Governing Council of the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Chief Ifeoma Nwobodo, is currently under probe over alleged massive corruption, embezzlement of funds, extortion of students, unaccounted excess charges, abuse of office and breach of extant laws in the discharge of her duties.

The Chairman, alongside other top management of the institute have come under petitions by members of the public, including students of the institution, who protested alleged extortion and corruption by the governing council.

The state governor, Barr. Peter Mbah, who has come under pressure by victims of the corrupt practices calling for justice and immediate redress, on Monday set up an 8-member investigative panel to unravel the massive corruption being supervised by the iron-fist former Chief of Staff.

It was not clear how many of such petitions which had forced the governor to yield to the public outcry, sources close to the issue disclosed that since the governor assumed office, angry petitioners, who were mostly lecturers, students, contractors that alleged fraudulent transactions, among others have inundated the government house with protest letters against Ifeoma Nwobodo-led governing council.

Although, the governor did not directly link the investigative panel to the shaddy activities of the Chairman of the Governing Council, sources revealed that heads would eventually roll if the government would pursue the investigation to logical conclusion.

The probe panel named Committee of Inquiry into the Accounts, Management Practices and Staff Conduct, has Prof. Ed Nwobodo as the Chairman and Chinenye Angela as Secretary, while Osita Onuma, Dr Ada Nwonye, Barr. Lilian Ikwueze, Amb. Judy Nweke, Dr. Moses Otiji, and Vincent Onyeabor were named as members.

Inaugurating the Committee at Government House, Enugu, Monday, Governor Mbah said the Committee was constituted to ensure there is a level of credibility in the institution, expressing confidence in the capacity of the leadership and members of Committee to deliver on their mandate.

The Governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, reminded the Committee that the state was counting on their experience to do a credible job.

“The work you are going to do will set a new course for that institution and for the rest of the action the government will take in the Higher Education space in Enugu state”, he stated.

He said the Committee’s terms and reference were to evaluate the legal and policy framework underpinning the constitution of the Business Committee; and thoroughly analyse the various categories of fees charged to students, investigating the methods of payment, designated accounts for transactions, and the overall management of fee-related processes.

The Committee was also mandated to assess the degree of adherence to pertinent laws, regulations, and institutional policies in the selection and appointment of staff members, particularly those occupying key positions such as Heads of Department, Deputy Rector, among others;
identify and scrutinise all streams of revenue generation for the institution, delving into the mechanisms for revenue collection, proper accounting practices for remittances, and the overall management of these financial resources; investigate any instances of undue financial demands imposed on students either by lecturers or the administrative body, regardless of the pretext used; explore any other relevant areas that may emerge in the course of addressing the aforementioned issues: and to conduct a comprehensive examination leading to well-founded conclusions and recommendations concerning the matters outlined.

Responding on behalf of other members, Chairman of the Committee , Prof. Nwobod