Students of the Rivers State University (RSU), Nkpolu, Port Harcourt, have appealed to the State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, to consider a thorough bred academic staff of the institution in the appointment of a substantive Vice Chancellor, for the institution.
The students made the appeal in a chat with The Tide over the weekend in the school premises.
A science student, Geo Amadi, said the appointment of an RSU-made staff would promote good learning environment in the institution.
Amadi pointed out that the current development in the institution required the attention of one, grounded in the system for efficiency.
According to him, since the school had attained a particular height among top State-owned higher institutions in Africa, it needed the attention of someone with 21st century knowledge of higher institution management.
Another student, Queen Peter-Side, from Humanity Department, who re-echoed the points of her school mate, said “imported VC” , may not produce the expected result in the institution now.
Peter-Side based her argument on the fact that, a non-RSU Vice Chancellor would take longer time to study the terrain before eventually swinging into action.
She hinted that some academic staff, who are on ground, may device a means that would sabotage the administration of the “imported VC”.

The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Justice Iche Ndu (rtd.), has applauded the Governor of Rivers State and Visitor of the university, Chief Nyesom Wike, for his keen interest and support in the establishment of the institution’s College of Medical Sciences (CMS).
Justice Ndu gave the commendation recently when he received in audience, leaders of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) who paid him a courtesy visit in his office.
The RSU chairman of council opined that the growth of the College of Medical Sciences and the teaching hospital were very dear to the Governor, and for this reason, he had directed the university management to put in place facilities and personnel for the takeoff of the MBBS programme and B.Sc in Nursing for the 2019/2020 academic session.
Justice Ndu expressed delight that the resource verification by the Nigeria University Commission (NUC) for the takeoff of the programme was successful and commended the governor for approving the transfer of service of some medical doctors to the college of medical sciences
According to him, the doctors who have resumed duty are expected to teach in the college and also render services at the teaching hospital even as he assured the delegation from MDCAN that the University will work with the teaching hospital board to ensure that the medical doctors are well taken care of like their counterparts in other teaching hospitals.
In her remarks, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Opuenebo B Owei, stated that the overwhelming support given by the state governor to the College of Medical Sciences and the teaching hospital was due to the exemplary leadership drive of the Governing Council led by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Justice Iche Ndu
Earlier in his address, the President of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, Prof. Ken Ozoilo, commended the Rivers State government and the university management for the milestone achieved in establishing the medical school and teaching hospital.
Prof. Ozoilo stated that the initiative was laudable because the training of medical doctors was paramount to the development of the health sector in Nigeria, adding that it will bridge the gap in the ratio of patient to doctor.
He said that the courtesy visit was part of the activities of the National Executive Council meeting held from 22nd to 26th January 2020 in Port Harcourt with the theme “Revamping the Healthcare System in Nigeria: Re-echoing the Roles of Stakeholders.”

Anneozeng Ogozi Aid Foundation (AOAF), a Non-Governmental Organisation, yesterday donated educational materials and medicines to Kaida Community in Abuja.
The Founder of AOAF, Mr Anneozeng Ogozi said that she deemed it fit to provide Kaida community children with writing materials such as books, pencils, erasers, sharpeners and pens, to help foster education within the community.
She said the community had just one non-functional hospital and that prompted the need to also provide the village with malaria test kits, drips and deworming medicines, amongst others.
She said that her foundation had realised that the educational and medical system in Kaida was poor and needed the intervention of NGOs, federal government and other well meaning Nigerians.
“Children in this community look really malnourished with blotted stomachs and the hair on most girls have changed colour to red,” she said.
Ogozi said that her foundation was willing to place 20 randomly selected students on scholarship.
Our source reports that Ogozi, who initially wanted to sponsor just 20 students ended up sponsoring 36 students after seeing how passionate majority wanted to be selected for the scholarship.
Among those selected were orphans in the school and the best academically performing students, amongst others.
Ogozi said she decided to increase the number of beneficiaries because she realised that 20 was too low to be selected from the total number of students in the school.
“They all need help. They all cannot help themselves, they all cannot afford things for themselves.
“We will discuss with the teachers to know how their administration works here.
“We will make enquiries on, if the children pay school fees or if they are being taught for free, as that will also help us know how to place our support and assistance,” she said.
On the foundation’s visit to a nursery and primary school headed by missionaries in the community, the classrooms were found in poor conditions.
“This place is so timid that when the children see you, they start running so you will have to call them, make friends with them and let people who understand their language tell them you are not here to harm them.
“We first took them on a play session outside, just to calm their nerves as their classroom environment was really nothing to write home about,” Ogozi said.
The foundation also gave out clothes and footwears to some of the students they noticed were in school without footwears.
A Primary three beneficiary of the scholarship, Mary Paul, expressed gratitude for the kind gesture of the foundation.
She said that she was happy to get many writing materials but would like well meaning Nigerians to assist in restructuring the school.