The Gregory University, Uturu (GUU) has reacted to the insulations that the management of Gregory University Uturu has been laid back in the quest for release of Prof Uwadinachi Iweha, the Provost of the Medical College of the university.
In a statement issued in Umuahia and signed by the acting registrar of the institution, Pastor Chukwuemeka Idika, the university said it has not erred in bid to get the abducted medical guru and Professor of medicine out of the hook of his abductors.
Details of the statement reads: “Our attention having been drawn to a press statement by the family of the Provost of our Medical College Prof Uwadinachi Iweha, endorsed by Engr. Chukwudi Iweha, we are compelled to make the following clarifications;
1. “That Prof Uwadinachi Iweha is the substantive Provost of our College of Medicine and Surgery.
2. “That in that capacity, as head of a strategic arm of the university, his schedule of duties includes representing the institution at official functions when necessary; a task which he has diligently performed in addition to his administrative chores.
3. “That on Sunday 5 June 2022 he was required to represent our Chancellor at a church function which was scheduled to hold at an Anglican Church in Old Umuahia.
4. “That subsequently we were shocked to receive a distress telephone call conveying his abduction by unknown persons while in transit to the above mentioned official function.
5. “That as a responsible and responsive institution, we immediately dispatched a management delegation led by the Vice Chancellor and Chairman of Senate, Prof Augustine Uwakwe, with the mandate of empathizing with the Iweha family and offering partnership in the task of interfacing with the abductors for his quick release.
6. “That in a bid to attract prompt executive intervention, our management, in collaboration with officials of Marist Group of Schools Uturu authored and dispatched a letter to the state Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, soliciting his assistance in securing the release of our Provost, copying the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of zone 9, Abia state Commissioner of Police and the Director of the Department of State Services respectively.
7. “That in spite of being on a medical trip abroad, our Chancellor has continued to champion and sustain communication with Mrs Iweha.
8. “That in his passionate desire to secure the release of Prof Iweha, our Chancellor personally remitted money to the family from USA to enable payment of the ransom demanded by his abductors.
9. “That our Vice Chancellor has maintained constant communication with Mrs Iweha, Archbishop Iweha and Abia state chairman of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), in order to brainstorm on strategies to secure Prof Iweha’s freedom.
10. “That the university community has continued to organize prayer programmes to intercede for his release, while helping the Police in their investigation
11. “That sequel to our unwavering faith in God, we believe that Prof Iweha will ultimately regain his freedom and subsequently have in abstention retained him in office.
12. “That we also ensured timely remittance of Prof Iweha’s monthly emolument via his wife’s bank account.
13. “That given the foregoing, we view with disdain insinuations contained in the press statement issued by the family that the management of Gregory University Uturu has been laid back in the quest for release of Prof Iweha.
14. “That in line with the dictum, ‘Action speaks louder than words’, we consider the aforementioned actions taken by our management as sufficient indication and positive attestation of our genuine desire for the release of Prof Iweha in good health.
15. “That while reassuring the Iweha family of our steadfast commitment to the task of securing the release of our Provost, we once again appeal to his abductors to magnanimously set him free”.
Pst. Chukwuemeka Idika
Ag. Registrar
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
