Rivers Assembly orders arrest of PAMO varsity VC over N29bn scholarship fund - Punch Newspapers
The Rivers State House of Assembly has ordered the arrest of the Vice-Chancellor of PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Port Harcourt, over scholarship funds disbursed to the institution by the state government, running into several billion naira. The Assembly said the arrest order became necessary because the institution’s VC failed to honour the invitation of the Ad Hoc House Committee investigating the disbursement of funds to the university by the state government since 2017. Also, the Assembly urged the Rivers State Government to set up a committee to recover all unaccounted funds in the possession of PAMO University and deposit them in the state’s Consolidated Revenue Account. Recall that the House had last week extended the deadline for the VC to appear before the committee, headed by the House Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol, on Thursday, September 24, 2026. The Assembly’s order was made during a plenary session on Friday presided over by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule.See more Punch stories on Google.Add Punch on Google A statement issued by the Special Assistant on Media to the Speaker, Martins Wachukwu, on Friday said the House deliberated on the report of the Ad Hoc Committee probing the scholarship funds disbursed to the university. The statement reads, “Rivers State House of House deliberating on the report of its Ad Hoc Committee on the investigation of scholarship funds to PAMO University of Medical Sciences, which was presented by the Chairman of the Committee, Rt. Hon. Dumle Maol, the Rivers State House of Assembly, on Friday, at the 53rd Legislative Sitting, resolved to issue a warrant of arrest for the Vice-Chancellor of PAMO University of Medical Sciences in line with the recommendation of the Committee. “The House among other recommendations also urged the State Government to set up a committee to recover all unaccounted funds in possession of the PAMO University and deposit them in the Consolidated Revenue Account of the State. Fubara raises Rivers judiciary overhead by 50% States generate N5.15tn as PAYE dominates tax revenue Fubara approves 50% overhead hike for Rivers judiciary “The House resolution came amidst the refusal of the PAMO University VC to appear before the Ad hoc Committee after several invitations, to explain how money given to the university under the scholarship scheme was expended. “The Ad hoc Committee Report chronicled how the university received over 29 billion Naira from the State government with no corresponding student enrolment, giving credence to the reason behind the Vice Chancellor’s refusal to honour the invitations. “Commenting on the Report, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule said that though the intentions of the government in entering into the scholarship scheme agreement were good, the implementation was a cog in the plan.” “Rt. Hon Amaewhule frowned at the situation where documents presented by the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, and the Office of the Accountant-General were at variance; adding that by simple deduction, out of the over 29 billion Naira released by the State Government to PAMO University, it merely utilised only 5 billion Naira. “The Speaker harped on the determination of the Assembly under his leadership to do the right thing irrespective of whose ox is gored.” Amaewhule,. according to the statement emphasized that ‘no individual can be bigger than the House as an institution empowered by the Constitution’. Recall the House of Assembly had yanked off the sum of N6 billion allocated to the PAMO University of Medical Sciences in the state 2026 budget of N1.84 trillion presented to it by Governor Siminalayi Fubara before presenting the same to the governor on September 3rd for his assent which he appended without question. PAMO University is owned by former Rivers State governor, Dr Peter Odili, who doubles as the Pro-Chancellor. Dennis Naku Dennis Naku is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with approximately 19 years of professional experience. He has previously worked with Champion Newspapers and National Mirror Newspaper, reporting across multiple beats. His work reflects extensive newsroom experience and a commitment to professional journalism practice.
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