The Imo State Government has stated that it has recovered the contentious Eastern Palm University former Governor Rochas Okorocha said he partly owns.
The statement released on Thursday, by Declan Emelumba, the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, said:
“The Imo State Executive Council in accordance with the provisions and recommendations of the white paper on land use and related matters, has recovered the Eastern Palm University illegally claimed by Rochas Okorocha.
“According to the white paper, the Eastern Palm University was accredited by the National University Commission (NUC) as the second state University owned by Imo State. Hence the move by Governor Hope Uzodimma administration to recover what rightfully belongs to Ndi Imo.“
Recall that in the middle of the controversy over the ownership of the institution, Okorocha had in December, 2020 explained that the University which is located in his hometown, Ogboko, Ideato South LGA of the state was established under a Private Public Partnership (PPP) arrangement when he was governor.
He said the Rochas Foundation for Africa has 90 per cent ownership, while the Imo State Government has 10 per cent.
However, the Hope Uzodinma-led Government has insisted that the University “was built and equipped with state resources by the then administration of Rochas Okorocha who is still making unfounded claims as to the ownership of the higher institution of learning. This prompted the immediate past Imo state government to swiftly set up a panel of inquiry to ascertain amongst many other things the owner of the institution.”
The statement added that panel has now “made it clear that the Eastern Palm University is a property of the Imo State Government.
“Council has directed the relevant ministries to take immediate step to implement the decision of council and so for the avoidance of doubt, Eastern Palm University is a state owned University.”
