Vice-Chancellor, Abia State University, Uturu, Prof Uchenna Ikonne has refuted allegations of mismanagement of the N5 billion development grant by TETFUND to the University which was allocated for various development projects.
According to the VC, every university is entitled to such interventions which TETFUND is part of and it is strictly monitored by TETFUND. He explained that such funds are not released to the Vice-Chancellor, but managed by the governing council through the direction of the Vice-Chancellor and monitored by the TETFUND organizers.
Prof Ikonne revealed that the university applied for a high impact fund, in which N3 billion was gotten. He maintained that the projects are currently ongoing in the institution's three campuses of Uturu, Aba and Umuahia, and have not been completed.
“For some people to say that it was mismanaged means that the person does not know how it is funded. We have never gotten sponsored research but it happened during my time and we got three through TETFUND and this has been utilized. ABSU has become a hub of research. Going through the laboratories, it can testify to the amount of work we have put into it”, Prof Ikonne explained.
