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RVHA Upgrades RSCOE TO University Status
The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday passed into law, the State University of Education bill seeking to upgrade the State College of Education to a university status.
The passage of the bill into law followed the unanimous adoption of the House Committee on Education report chaired by Hon Maureen Tamuno by the state legislators.
The law aims at providing facilities for effective teaching and learning in education related disciplines with particular reference to the needs and aspirations of the state and the purpose of producing graduates and non-graduate teachers.
It would also produce teachers in technical science, humanities, social sciences, management sciences and other related fields for development programmes in education.
Presenting the committee’s report during the plenary session, the Chairman of the Education Committee, Hon Maureen Tamuno stated that during the public hearing, over 200 persons who expressed their views decried non release of results to students of the state College of Education by the University of Ibadan, as a problem.
Hon Maureen opined that when the present College of Education is upgraded to a university status, it would create employment opportunities to the people of the state as well as, provide accessible education opportunities for the teeming Rivers students who are seeking admission for higher learning.
According to her, the university would hold examinations and award degrees, diplomas, certificates and other distinctions to persons who have pursed courses of study approved by the university and have satisfied laid down requirements.
She urged the lawmakers to consider the interest of the state and pass the bill into law without further delay, adding that the College has all it takes to be transformed into a university.
The report of the committee was later adopted as the working document of the House through a motion moved by Hon Anthony Okeah (Obalga II) and seconded by Ogiri Henry (Abua/Odua I). Contributing during the debate, Hon Ogiri Henry, Emmanuel Okatta and Onari Brown while commending the committee for a comprehensive report on the bill noted that the importance of the bill can not be over emphasized.
The lawmakers stated that the transformation of the state college of education into university is historic and urged their colleagues to pass the bill into law so that the people of the state could begin to reap the benefits of the transformation.
The lawmakers recounted the dilemma students of the college encountered due to the accreditation and regulations by the University of Ibadan where the college is affiliated, adding that such circumstance would no longer persist.
Hon Aye Pepple (Bonny), Ewornname (Ahoada East I) and Hon Taneh Felicia (Tai) urged the authorities of the institution to decentralise it by ensuring that off campuses were opened in the rivernine areas of the state.
The Speaker, Rt Hon Tonye Harry who presided over the session thanked the legislators for their commitment toward the passage of the bill into law.
It would be recalled that the Rivers State University of Education bill was passed into law by the 5th Assembly in 2007 but could not be assented too by the erstwhile governor of the state , Dr Peter Odili.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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