Education
HOD Promises To Take Animal Science Dept To Greater Heights
The Acting Head of De
partment, Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Dr Letorin Akinola, says she would take the department to greater height in her tenure.
In a document made available to The Tide, Dr. Akinola said she would use her position as secretary, Membership Committee of the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIA) to enhance the capacity of the department to build the capacity of professionals.
She disclosed that she would focus on professionalising, as well as making animal science a more attractive discipline to prospective students and other stakeholders.
Citing an instance in which a graduate of the Department emerged among the best two in NIAs professional examination, the newly appointed acting HOD promised to strive to produce graduates who would rank top as professional animal scientists.
The HOD, who is also chairman of the Intra-faculty Bio-Enterprise and Agribusiness committee, promised to use her experience to advantage.
“We work hard to encourage our students to distinguish themselves in agribusiness and entrepreneurship to boost livestock production and job creation.
“We are preparing our students to win the third students entrepreneurship competition of the faculty of agriculture. The department won the first edition, but was beaten to the second place at the edition,” she disclosed.
To achieve her target, noting the challenges associated with running what she called a “proactive-oriented department, Dr. Akinola appealed for support from the school authority and other stakeholders to enable her achieve the purpose for which the department was established.
“With the necessary support from management and other stakeholders, we hope to meet our mandate and also break new grounds by repositioning the department in the training of professional animal scientists,” she said.
While noting that leadership entails harnessing available human and material resources to achieve organisational goal, she promised to build on the achievement of her predecessors to take the department to greater heights.
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, emphasised the need for students to go beyond academic achievements during the university’s 43rd Convocation ceremony.
The theme, “The University Culture In Practice, The IAUE Experience,” highlights the importance of embracing cherished traditions and intellectual values that define great universities.
Prof. Onuchuku encouraged the new graduates to work hard and persevere, noting that their convocation marks a new beginning in their careers and personal lives. He emphasised that they must prove themselves worthy of the certificates and prizes they have received.
According to him, out of 2,887 first-degree graduands, four made First Class, 403 secured Second Class Upper, 2,030 got Second Class Lower, and 450 graduated with Third Class. Additionally, 1,492 postgraduate students graduated, including 306 PhD holders.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), praised the university’s commitment to academic excellence and institutional maturity. He commended the Acting Vice Chancellor for achieving full accreditation for 47 academic programmes and implementing the NUC’s Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards.
The administrator urged the new graduates to uphold the positive values instilled in them by the university and strive for continuous knowledge and improvement.
By: King Onunwor
The Niger Delta Students Union Government, Rivers State Chapter (NIDSUG), has suspended its planned protest against the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) state office in Port Harcourt. The suspension followed an intervention by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju.
The students had planned to protest on Thursday, citing alleged neglect by the NDDC, particularly in welfare and capacity-building programmes for students from the state. However, after the police intervention, the students agreed to participate in a roundtable discussion with the commission to address their concerns.
NIDSUG leader, Comrade Loveday Njoku, expressed dissatisfaction with the commission’s alleged exclusion of students from benefiting from its programmes. He presented a seven-point demand, including the reintroduction of scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Njoku emphasised that education is crucial for community development and urged the commission to invest in the future leaders of the state.
The students warned that if their demands are not met, they will resume the protest and occupy the state commission office until their demands are addressed. Despite previous attempts to reach out to the commission’s management team, the students claimed their efforts were unsuccessful.
By: Akujobi Amadi
As part of efforts to improve the welfare and overall quality of education for students in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, the Sole Administrator, Sir (Dr.) Clifford Ndu Walter DSSRS, FCAI, JP, paid an unscheduled visit to Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi.
During the visit, Sir Walter expressed deep concern over the deplorable state of the school and its surrounding environment. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the development of the education sector, stressing its critical role in nation-building.
“I have visited the primary school in Ogbogoro, and now I’m here at the Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi. I am not satisfied with what I’ve seen,” he stated, indicating that more surprise visits to schools would follow.
To address the issues, the Sole Administrator directed the Council Engineer to commence process for rehabilitation of the school.
The visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at conducting on-the-spot assessments of educational facilities to determine the level of intervention required by the local government council.
Dr. Walter also assured the teachers of his unwavering commitment to revamp the school and improve the learning environment for both staff and students.