Benue: Otukpo Varsity Conduct Community Protest Over Neglect By Management

Under the auspices of the Otukpo Redemption Movement (ORM), the Otukpo Youth Forum (OYF), and the Otukpo Accountability Forum (OAF), a coalition of three youth groups in Benue State suspended activities at the Federal University of Health Sciences (FUHSO), Otada, Otukpo, in protest of the management’s disregard for the host community when assigning appointments.

The placard bearing youths, some of which read “FUHSO VC runs school as private entity,” “FUHSO VC has no regards for the host community policy on employment,” “No management meeting in FUHSO for four years,” “FUHSO VC and the MD have no regard for the Federal Character Principle,” among others, marched peacefully from Edikwu Junction to the entrance of the university, singing solidarity songs on Monday.

Addressing the gathering, the spokesman for the youths, Alechenu Adah, said they were angered by the outright neglect of the youths of the institution’s host community as well as those of the Teaching Hospital in the distribution of employment opportunities.

He stated that the youths were ready to occupy the entrance of the institution for 14 days until their demands for the equitable distribution of employment opportunities to youths of the host communities of the university and its teaching hospital were met.

According to him, “a society that has an impartial and effective justice system will eventually become a peaceful society, but a society that allows bias in the justice system can only create an illusion of peace.
Otukpo district seeks justice.

“Today, we want to let the world know that the nepotistic attitude at the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo and the practical institution; the FUHSO Teaching Hospital, are manifestations of partiality against Otukpo the host community.

“Since this imbalance has become the norm, which is an aberration from the true justice the world craves, this act of modern colonialism is evident in appointments at both FUHSO and the Teaching Hospital Otukpo.

“FUHSO Vice Chancellor runs the school as a private entity, no university management meeting in four years. They contract security and environment sections to relations to ensure that the host community is completely deprived of employment opportunities.

“FUHSO Teaching Hospital is colonised by the Medical Director and run by Agatu Local Government where he hails from. If not, how do we explain that six other departmental heads are all from the same place.

“Also, FUHSO is the most expensive Federal University; this has deprived peasant farmers the opportunity of sending their wards to learn at the university.

“Our prayers are, Professor Innocent Ujah and Dr. Silas Ochenjele must go to pave the way for independent arbiters to come in and right the abnormalities so as to forestall breakdowns of law and order and instill confidence between the university and the host, which will pave the way for a smooth takeoff at the permanent site.”

Receiving the youths on behalf of the institution, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, DVC, Academics, Prof. Stephen Abah, lauded them for being peaceful, assuring that “we will sit down and invite you to come and sit at the table with us, and we will dialogue.

“Everywhere in the world, people want peace. So, if you want peace and I want peace, then we don’t have a problem. You do not need to come here and stay for 14 days. I will respond before 14 days.”

Credit: Vangaurd