Asset recovery: Imo govt mounts billboard changing Eastern Palm University to K O Mbadiwe University

By CHINOSO ALOZIE, Owerri

The Imo state government today appeared to have succeeded in renaming the Eastern Palm University to K. O Mbadiwe Ozuomba, University after it mounted a large billboard with the inscription, K. O. Mbadiwe, at the front of the university.

Vanguard gathered that the billboard was erected at about 12:30 pm on Wednesday.

The university was one of the properties recovered from the former Governor, Rochas Okorocha, allegedly built with state funds.

But the former Governor Okorocha had argued that “The university was established under the Private Public Partnership (PPP), with Rochas Foundation and Imo State Government involved, stating that while Rochas Foundation has 90% in the arrangement, Imo State Government has ten per cent.

“The Eastern Palm University was established by the Imo State of Nigeria, Law No. 3 of 2019.

And part II, No.3 (3) Stated that “the University shall be owned on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis, by the Imo State Government and the Incorporated Trustees of Rochas Foundation, hereinafter referred to as the Parties.”

“And the Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding between the Concerned Parties are domiciled in the relevant bodies or institutions.

And the law also provided that any of the Parties, may decide to opt-out of the Agreement upon giving the prescribed notice and meeting the conditions for opting out as contained in the Agreement,” Okorocha declared.  (Vanguard)