MOUAU Don Decries Delay in Promotion, Seeks Tinubu’s Intervention

Dr. Philips Nto and president Ahmed Bola Tinubu

A lecturer at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Dr. Philips Nto, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in what he describes as the unjust delay of his promotion to the rank of professor by the university’s Governing Council.
Dr. Nto made the appeal on Monday during a news briefing in Umuahia, Abia State, alleging that although his promotion became due in 2021, the university has yet to release it despite his fulfillment of all statutory and academic requirements.
According to him, the Chairman of the Governing Council, Mr. Fidelis Edeh, approved the promotion of other qualified academics “with the speed of light” but has consistently refused to approve his own, without justification.
Dr. Nto is a lecturer in the Department of Agribusiness and Management, College of Agricultural Economics, Rural Sociology and Extension, and currently serves as the Director of the Agribusiness Incubation Centre of the university.
Tracing his academic career, he said:
“I joined the services of MOUAU as an Assistant Lecturer in 2007.
I obtained my PhD from the same university in 2009.
I was promoted to the rank of Senior Lecturer in 2015.
Ordinarily, my promotion to the rank of Professor should have taken effect in 2021.
“All my contemporaries and even my junior colleagues have since been promoted to the rank of Professor, except me.”he lamented.
He questioned why his promotion file should be deliberately abandoned by the Governing Council, despite his successful completion of all stages involved in the rigorous assessment and promotion process.
Dr. Nto alleged that although the council has convened more than ten times to deliberate on promotions, the chairman willfully obstructed the release of his own promotion.
He further explained that he was on an approved leave of absence between 2013 and 2015 to serve Abia State in two capacities, first as Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning, and later as Provost of Abia State College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu, a position he held from 2016 to 2023.
“The interesting thing is that during those periods, I continued teaching my students—both undergraduate and postgraduate—and also supervised postgraduate research,” he said.
Dr. Nto stated that upon his return to active duty at MOUAU in 2023, he formally applied for the assessment of his academic publications for promotion, in line with the 2003 Conditions of Service and standard academic procedures under which his leave of absence had been granted.
He explained that the university management initially declined to assess him, arguing that the period he spent on leave of absence could not be counted as part of his active service due to a new Condition of Service that had just taken effect.
“I pointed out that such conditions cannot be applied retroactively,” .
“When I drew the attention of the management to the Conditions of Service that were in force at the time my leave was approved, the management reconsidered and granted approval for my assessment.”he said.
Reacting to the allegations, the Chief Public Relations Officer of MOUAU, Dr. Ubadire Agua, dismissed claims that the Chairman of the Governing Council had the power to block staff promotions.
According to him, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council does not possess the legal authority to refuse or stop the promotion of any staff member duly presented to the Governing Council.
“The university, under the leadership of Prof. Maduebibisi Iwe as Vice-Chancellor, has not withheld the promotion of any staff,”
“Every staff member who qualifies, in line with the university’s rules and regulations, receives his or her promotion when due.”Agua said.