Vwang, the host community of Karl Kumm University in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State on Wednesday warned the state Governor, Simon Lalong, to stay away from the crisis rocking the institution.
The community described a visit to the Governor by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the University, Prof. Ochapa Onazi, who led members of the council on a courtesy visit to Government House, Jos as a ploy by the government to take over the running of affairs of the university through the back door.
Karl Kumm University established in Jos South LGA by the Church of Christ in Nations was shut down shortly after it got its operational license in 2021 due to misunderstanding with the host community over the appointment of a Registrar for the institution in line with an MOU signed with them.
Since then, the new university had remained under lock and key without any academic activities while its operational licence had been withdrawn by the NUC
During the pro-chancellor’s visit to the Governor last week, Lalong had said he would intervene in the matter and directed the Commissioner for Higher Education and the Head of Service to immediately engage all stakeholders in resolving the misunderstanding that led to the suspension of the licence of the University .
But the host community, at a press conference in Jos on Wednesday, rejected the governor’s intervention, describing it as an invitation to disaster.
The press conference was addressed by the community leaders including the President, Vwang Development Association, Jonah Gworu; Chairman, Berom Educational and Cultural Organisation, Vwang District, Ishaku; Chairperson, BEWDA Vwang District, Elizabeth Lowang; Chairman Berom Youths Moulders Association, Vwang District, Emmanuel Mangu; Chairman, Vwang Patriotic Forum, Davou Nyango, and the Chairman, Vwang Intelligentsia Forum, Weng Emmanuel, among others .
They insisted that the proprietor of the university should continue with the process it had started with the host community towards resolving the impasse at the institution
The VDA President said, “The intervention of the state government in Karl Kumm University crisis now, from all indications, is an obvious ill-fated venture and a visible invitation to disaster. The COCIN church came to Vwang community for land and not the governement. Land was donated to the church and MOU signed between the donor and recipient without government involvement.
“COCIN should assume responsibility and address issues at stake as we have have no MOU with Bogoro (the Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Prof.Suleiman Elias Bogoro) Onazi orthe state Governement.
“Anyone interested in the genuine resolution of the matter should encourage the church to honour its undertaking with the host community.”
The community leaders also called on the chairman of Council to apologise to the host community “for the insults he heaped on them” during their visit at the Government House where he was said to have described them “disgruntled, ungrateful and miscreants”.
