Coal City Varsity Denies Salary Arrears and Strike Allegations

Gideon Arinze in Enugu

Coal City University in Enugu has denied claims that it owes staff salaries and that a six‑month staff strike occurred, calling the allegations false, misleading, and unsupported by facts.

The Vice‑Chancellor of the University, Professor Afam Icha Ituma, made the clarification during a press conference in Enugu, where he addressed recent media reports concerning the institution.

Professor Ituma said that the institution categorically refuted claims from recent publications alleging that it owed staff salaries or had experienced a six‑month strike by employees.

“Staff salaries have been paid consistently, and the university does not owe any salary arrears to its employees. Furthermore, there has never been any staff strike action in the history of the University,” he said.

He described the allegations as a deliberate misrepresentation of the true state of affairs and an attempt to tarnish the reputation of the institution.

Addressing the June 10 incident involving a student and a staff member, Ituma said the university acted promptly in line with its internal governance procedures before the matter became public. 

He explained that management immediately suspended the staff member and students directly involved in the incident and constituted a Review Committee to investigate the matter and make recommendations.

He said that the suggestion that the university’s response was reactionary or driven by external pressure is inaccurate, noting that the student involved is a scholarship recipient but that the student’s status would not affect disciplinary actions.

He added that the Review Committee had been mandated to conduct a fair and objective investigation, while management had commenced a broader review of policies relating to student welfare, staff conduct, conflict resolution, and campus safety.

Ituma also disclosed that the university’s legal team had been directed to engage and demand a retraction and corrective action over what he termed inaccurate reporting while urging the public to rely only on verified information from official channels.