BREAKING NEWS: UNICAL SUG: DIRECTOR OF WELFARE REINSTATED JUST A DAY AFTER NEW SUG ELECTIONS.

THE SAD STORY BEHIND HIS SUSPENSION FROM OFFICE.

After carefully following the events that have transpired for the last 12 months in campus regarding the suspension of the Director Of Welfare 7 months ago, a full and concise report is provided below. 

In April, 2017 the Afufu Anthony led government was elected to lead the affairs of the University of Calabar Students’ Union Government, a government led by a self-acclaimed ‘pastor’.

BASSEY OFEM’S (DIRECTOR OF Welfare) Suspension. 

On October 26th, 2017, Mr BASSEY OFEM was suspended from executive duties in a letter from the office of the University registrar, Mr Moses Abang dated 26 Oct. 2017.on grounds of purported allegations of rape against a fellow unnamed student.

This came 48hours after SUG President Afufu Anthony, issued a ‘public query’ to the Director Of welfare to withdraw a “petition against the SUG President and Cry to Nigerian Students”. The Director Of Welfare who in his petitioned stated that his powers have been usurped by the president and appealed on management to intervene and also informing Nigerian students, should he fail in the discharge of his duties.

Bassey Ofem didn’t withdraw the Petition but obliged Mr Afufu Anthony that the case had is now on management’s table and He(Afufu A.) lacked competence to entertain and handle such matter, because a higher body was seating on it already.

How the Relationship between the BASSEY OFEM and AFUFU ANTHONY Went Sour.

The first incident between the President and the Director Of welfare, began on the day of their inauguration.
On the said day, the illustrious Vice Chancellor, Prof. Zana Akpagu gave 50,000 naira to support the Executives and cater for refreshments and other needs. Mr Bassey as the Director Of Welfare obliged the President that he would offer to purchase refreshments while the Financial Secretary, Esther Offem keeps record then the remaining money can be returned so all nine (9) executives can decide on what is to be done. Mr Afufu rejected this proposal keeping the money, who he latter claimed he use to entertained students and till date nothing has been said about it.

The second point of note, was in the month of May, 2017. In a meeting of all executives with the former Dean, Prof. Felix Akpan, He instructed that amongst other things the keys to the recreational centre at Students Centre, Malabor be kept in the custody of the D. O. W.

The SUG President days after, came to director of welfare and demanded for the keys to the facility, on grounds that he wanted to install television sets. The D.O.W stated that the President could have asked him to accompany whomever was in charge of the installation so he would open and lock the place afterwards. To prevent a disagreement He(D.O.W) gave the keys to Afufu Anthony. Few days after Mr BASSEY requested for the key to inspect the Premises, the President instructed his Chief of Staff, Save-Us Okoi to escort the Director Of Welfare, open the faculty and return the keys back to him. A decision that came as a surprise to the Director Of welfare. Mr Save-Us Okoi was a running candidate for the same office but was disqualified by the electoral commission for ‘alleged financial fraud’ against the University. As though it was not enough that such a person was not only appointed by the President, but also kept his appointment and directly usurped the powers and duties of the legitimately and duly elected Director Of Welfare.

On May 27th, When Cross Rivers State celebrated it’s 57 years anniversary. Mr BASSEY who was not informed that the Students’ Union was invited woke up to see students entering buses and was beckoned by students to explain the reason for delay. Mr BASSEY was dumbfounded, himself not being in the know of what was happening. After the event, Afufu Anthony received the sum of One Million Naira, same with which he solely distributed and shared Students who attended and all executives save the director of welfare. Few days later the President visited Mr BASSEY and offered the sum of 3,000 naira as his share of the largesse, a sum the director of welfare rejected, stating that mere appointees of the President received 7,000-10,000. The President left took the 3,000 back and that was the end of the matter.

The Third Incident, occurred when Mr Bassey informed the President of his project of numbering all hostels in the university. The President after hearing from he details stated that the project would be Capital intensive and should be captured as His Official Capital Project instead. Mr BASSEY rejected this and told the President this was his idea and it would amount to intellectual theft since he had already written the application, carried out market research and feasibility studies.
The President who would not have this,altered the budget from the Office of the Director of Welfare to the President’s Capital Project section. An act the Students’ Union Government after investigation frowned out and reallocated to Mr BASSEY. After the budget ratification, a subsequent budget defense was to be held with key management officials that constitute the welfare board.
Single handedly defended the budget till it saw approval.

He applied to the Vice Chancellor on the 15th of June 2017 and within a few days approval was made. A payment of 500,000 was approved to the office of the Director of Welfare, BASSEY OFEM.

Mr Afufu seized the 500,000 naira and a meeting was conveyed in the residence of the former Dean Students’ Affairs Division, Prof. Felix Akpan. In a twist of fate the money for the project was shared even before its execution. With 270,000 to be shared by the executives and 230,000 allocated for the projects. Mr BASSEY who had already began production of tags was left in bewilderment. The sum of 30,000 was allocated to Mr BASSEY an amount he earlier rejected and had to contact the Financial Secretary for payment because of the Financial responsibilities of the project he had begun. He( BASSEY) approached the SUG President for the remaining sum for the project and was informed by AFUFU that he had handed the sum to a contractor and so his duty was to inspect the work, “if tags are not fixed in place, you will go and fix them well”.