Sexual Harassment: UNICAL whittles down powers of suspended dean

From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar

The management of the University of Calabar says the powers of the Dean of Law Faculty of the institution has been whittled down.

Professor Florence Obi, the Vice Chancellor of the institution made this known in her office while speaking on the recent report of sexual harassment in the institution.

She said the embattled Professor of law and Dean of the Law Faculty, Professor Cyril Ndifon was suspended for violating the institutions policy.

Professor Obi said, “Management resolved with the staff on the need for some basic changes to be effected, to avoid continuous over bearing influence and power of any Dean of Faculty of Law over the students.

“Some of the immediate actions taken were; Setting up of a Committee to take charge of students’ mobilization to Law School.

“The Dean to refund all illegal monies extorted from the students under various sub-heads, among other decisions.

“A review and possible recall of the students’ list sent to Law School and removal from office of the two examination officers and the setting up of a Result Vetting Committee.

“Others are Setting up Students’ Project Committee to assign Project supervisors to the undergraduates

“Setting up of Admission Committee to review Direct Entry Admissions.

“Setting up of a Committee to update the existing Standard Operations Procedure(SOP) of the University to take care of the peculiarities of the Faculty of Law for Senate approval.

“Appointment of a new interim Chairman of the Faculty’s Post Graduate School Board, Setting up a Committee to review and assign courses for the semester in compliance with the University procedure on Quality Assurance.

“The Dean and the Sub-Dean were directed to submit all the result scripts, questions papers, marking guides and examination attendance lists for the past two sessions to the Director of Quality Assurance.” She stated.

The V.C disclosed that aside from the few staff of the University that would form the panel to investigate the suspended Dean, Management has acceded to the request of UNICAL Alumni, Federation of Female Lawyers, Federal Public Complaints Commission to be part of the investigation.

She  said the institution decided to bring those bodies to be part of the process because their involvement speaks volume in getting to the bottom of the alleged ugly incidents.

She said the move was among some of the resolutions adopted by the management to address some of the issues raised against  and that various committees have been setup to look into all the allegations.

It will be recall that on August 14, 2023, faculty of law students staged a protest in front of the V.C’s office accusing the former Dean of sexual harassment, extortion and high handedness among others.

Following this, he was suspended by the institution management pending the out come of the panel report.

Earlier in 2015, Professor Ndifon was suspended from the institution over the issue of sexual harassment.

He was subsequently reinstated by the institution but banned from contesting for the position of Dean of the Law Faculty.

The council of the institution however lifted this ban which enabled him to successfully return as Dean of the Law Faculty of the institution.