I gave the vice chancellor of the state university the task of recommending someone to become the chairman of the governing council. He returned to tell me that Nwali was best suited for the job and when I called him (Nwali) over it, he accepted
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi has appointed the state Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Fr. Abraham Nwali, to head two state-owned institutions.
The institutions include the Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki and Board of the David Umahi University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Uburu.
In a speech at the inauguration on Thursday in Abakaliki, Umahi said that people would be surprised over Nwali’s dual appointment.
He described Nwali, who has been his Special Adviser on Religious and Welfare Matters since 2015, as an astute administrator.
According to him, the clergyman has always delivered on tasks assigned him.
“I gave the vice chancellor of the state university the task of recommending someone to become the chairman of the governing council. He returned to tell me that Nwali was best suited for the job and when I called him (Nwali) over it, he accepted,” Umahi said.
He expressed optimism that Nwali would offer selfless service in making both institutions achieve their mandates and enhance overall efficiency.
“Nwali is not going to look for money to keep for his children or build houses.
“We offered him land and vehicles as an executive council member but he declined.
“Such is the type of man every society desires,” the governor said.
He also hoped that the management teams of both institutions would promote competence in the running of the institutions and check clannish tendencies.
“One cannot forgo people from his area in such situations but if an outsider can help us achieve our goal, we would support him.
“We would afterwards take accruing dividends to our people,” Umahi said.
He charged the appointees to maintain high standards in their various institutions.
He specifically admonished the university management to clamp down on cultism among students and lecturers.
Responding on behalf of others, Nwali thanked the governor for finding them suitable for the appointments.
He pledged that they would justify the confidence reposed in them.
“We would promote research in the institutions because the absence of research presents recycling of knowledge.
“We would also ensure that grants and subventions are not recycled into salaries and unproductivity but to enhance resourcefulness,” the cleric said.
NAN reports that Nwali also doubles as the South-East CAN Chairman.