Education
RSUST, Only University Into Housing Research – Don
The Rivers State University of Science and Technology has been acclaimed to be the only university involved in Housing Research in Nigeria.
This was made known by Professor Fidelix Ekeoma Opara during the 26th inauguraral lecture on the “Development of Magneto-Hydrodynamics and Plasma Generators: Energy of the Future,” last Wednesday.
According to the Professor of Physics, based on the request by the federal Minister of science and Technology, a group of scientist with various backgrounds on elements of design were assemblied, and surveyed in relevant areas in building research was carried out.
These, he said, were done in order to increase the capacity for effective housing delivery that can be affordable and sustainable.
The result of the various surveys was a revelation of such factors as the number of houses required in Nigeria, the type of locally sourced building materials and how they can be put into use.
“Presently, Nigeria requires more than 17 million houses to satisfy the yarning of her citizen. Hence research into affordable local building materials cannot be over emphasized,’ he said.
Professor Opara contimued that “the production efficiency of the locally sourced or manufactured building materials shall play a very significant role of the need to tackle the deficit.
“The speed with which we can put to use these building materials to complete a housing unit is very minimal. The cost effectiveness is also very minimal.”
He explained that “it has been shown that a housing unit of 3 bedroom will cost about N2.1 million the house is cheap, affordable and decent.”
Research has shown that the use of these local building material in housing construction is structurally stable, with decent interior an external finishing and with adequate heat and sound insulation,” he stated further.
However, the Dean of the Department of Physics in RSUST lamented that achieving he revelations of various researches has been incapacitated by the non availability of necessary fund.
He, thus, urged government, Individuals, corporate bodies and stakeholeers to take up the challenge by making the necessary fund available.
In his closing remark, the vice chancellor of the university, Professor Barineme Fakae landed the various researches carried out by Professor Opara and his team.
While urging students to study science related courses, Professor Fakae stated that the Rivers State University of Science and Technology will soon grow to the world of Science.
Sogbeba Dokubo
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.