PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA — The Rivers State House of Assembly has ordered the arrest of the Vice-Chancellor of PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Professor Christie Mato, over the alleged mismanagement of N29 billion in scholarship funds meant for Rivers State students.
The order was issued on Friday during plenary following a motion moved by the member representing Ahoada East Constituency II, Hon. Edison Ehie, and supported by other lawmakers. The Assembly directed the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State to arrest the VC and bring her before the House to explain the disbursement and utilisation of the funds.
The scholarship scheme, which was established by the Rivers State Government to support indigenes of the state studying at PAMO University, has been shrouded in controversy in recent months, with allegations that the funds were diverted and mismanaged. The Assembly said its investigation revealed that the university had failed to account for the N29 billion it received from the state government.
“The House has resolved to order the arrest of the Vice-Chancellor of PAMO University, Professor Christie Mato, over the alleged mismanagement of N29 billion in scholarship funds. The Commissioner of Police is directed to effect her arrest and bring her before the House within 48 hours,” the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo, stated.
The lawmakers expressed outrage over the alleged mismanagement of the funds, describing it as a betrayal of the trust reposed in the university by the state government and the people of Rivers State. They said the House would not rest until the funds were properly accounted for and those responsible for the mismanagement were brought to justice.
“This is a case of gross mismanagement of public funds. The scholarship scheme was designed to support our students, but the money has been diverted and misappropriated. We will not allow this to stand. The Vice-Chancellor must account for every kobo,” Ehie stated.
The Assembly also directed the state Ministry of Education and the Scholarship Board to provide detailed records of all disbursements made to PAMO University since the inception of the scheme. It further ordered the university to submit a comprehensive report on the scholarship programme, including the list of beneficiaries and the amount spent on each student.
The Vice-Chancellor of PAMO University has not yet responded to the Assembly’s order. However, a source within the university described the allegations as “politically motivated,” noting that the institution had always complied with the terms of the scholarship agreement.
“The university has nothing to hide. We have always operated transparently and in line with the agreement with the Rivers State Government. The allegations are baseless and are being peddled by those who want to tarnish the reputation of the institution,” the source said.
The Rivers State Government has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, but officials indicated that the government would cooperate fully with the Assembly’s investigation. The Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ovy Chukwuma, said the government was committed to ensuring that public funds were properly accounted for and that the scholarship scheme served its intended purpose.
“We will support the Assembly in its investigation. We want to ensure that the scholarship scheme is transparent and that the funds are used for the benefit of our students. Anyone found to have mismanaged the funds will face the consequences,” Chukwuma said.
The order for the arrest of the VC is the latest development in the ongoing investigation into the scholarship scheme. The Assembly had earlier summoned the VC to appear before it to answer questions on the disbursement of the funds, but she reportedly failed to honour the invitation. The lawmakers said her failure to appear had left them with no choice but to order her arrest.
As the investigation continues, the focus will be on whether the Assembly can uncover the truth about the alleged mismanagement and whether those responsible will be held accountable. For now, the people of Rivers State are watching closely, hoping that justice will be served and that the scholarship scheme will be restored to its intended purpose of supporting indigent students.
