. Lawmakers probe fund disbursement to varsity
Wale Igbintade
Pamo University of Medical Sciences (PUMS) has given the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Martin Amaewhule, 24 hours to retract alleged defamatory statements made against the institution or face legal action.
This is coming as the state lawmakers have constituted an Ad-Hoc Committee to conduct an inquiry into the state government’s disbursement of funds to the university since its inception in 2017.
The university, through its counsel, Ayodeji Adedipe, (SAN), in a letter dated September 3, 2026, accused Amaewhule of making “malicious and defamatory” comments concerning the institution while presenting the 2026 Rivers State Appropriation Act to the Governor for assent at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House, Port Harcourt.
The dispute centres on a proposed N6 billion allocations to Pamo University of Medical Sciences contained in the 2026 Rivers State budget.
According to the letter, the Rivers State House of Assembly Speaker was alleged to have said that the assembly’s committee found that the university had not been transparent in the management of funds allocated to it over the years and that the state could not ascertain what had happened to taxpayers’ money allocated to the institution.
The Speaker was further alleged to have stated that the university was invited by the House committee but failed to appear and did not present any records or reports to the Assembly.
However, Pamo University, through its lawyers, vehemently denied the allegations, describing them as false, unfounded and malicious.
The university maintained that it had never been invited by the Rivers State House of Assembly, or any other body, to defend its utilisation of funds made available to it by the state government under the scholarship scheme for Rivers State students.
It also insisted that since the commencement of the scholarship scheme, it had “strictly and judiciously” applied the scholarship funds for the sole purpose for which they were provided.
The institution said the statements attributed to Amaewhule had caused it considerable embarrassment and had maligned its reputation, particularly the allegation that its management had failed to be transparent in handling the funds and had been evasive in accounting for their utilisation.
“By your referenced statement, an average person would understand you to mean that Pamo University of Medical Sciences is an irresponsible and fraudulent institution that has not only mismanaged but that it has diverted the fund paid to it by the Rivers State Government for the education of the students in that school,” the lawyers stated.
The university consequently demanded the immediate retraction of what it described as malicious statements concerning it within 24 hours and an apology for the alleged defamation and damage to its integrity.
The lawyers warned that failure or refusal to meet the demands within the stipulated period would result in the university commencing legal proceedings against Amaewhule before a court of competent jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, the lawmakers have constituted an Ad-Hoc Committee to conduct an inquiry into the state government’s disbursement of funds to the university.
Citing a press statement issued by the state lawmakers, a national television reported that the committee was constituted by Amaewhule, in line with Section 128 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
The committee has been mandated to unravel how much funding the university has received from the Rivers State Government since its inception in 2017, determine whether such funds were adequately utilised for their intended purposes, and ascertain the number and identities of all scholarship scheme beneficiaries, among other terms of reference
The seven-member committee is chaired by Hon. Dumle Maol, with Hon. Silvanus Nwankwo, Hon. Lemchi Nyeche, Hon. Henrietta Loolo, Hon. Peter Abbey, Hon. Napoleon Ukalikpe, and Hon. Emilia Amadi listed as members.
The statement further disclosed that the Ad-Hoc Committee is expected to submit its report to the House on or before 30th September 2026.