OWERRI—The controversial relocation plan of Imo State University, IMSU, Owerri, to Governor Rochas Okorocha’s country home, Ogboko, may have come to an abrupt end, as government has said it will now establish three universities in each of the three senatorial zones of the state.

Okorocha announced the new arrangement in his “State of Imo” address, which he presented on Tuesday at Heroes Square, Owerri.

“It is also the desire of this administration to establish three universities in the three senatorial zones and I believe this would bring the needless controversy over relocation of Imo State University to a closure,” Okorocha said.

On the current industrial action by the institution’s Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, the governor said his administration was taking steps to resolve the impasse so that normal academic activities could commence.

“We are, however, concerned about some financial transactions that took place in the university and, in particular, the borrowing of N800 million from a commercial bank, which has remained a burden to the university,” Okorocha said.

He announced that students of Imo State origin studying in IMSU shall be entitled to a scholarship of N100,000 each as against the subsisting payment of not more than N50,000 as fees by each student.

“Appropriate benchmarks shall be set for acceptable performance and students who fail to achieve the set benchmarks each year, shall have the scholarship discontinued,” Okorocha said.

http://naija-online.com/2012/02/imo-to-establish-three-new-varsities/