New RSUST Ready, 2014 …As Senate President Restates FG’s Plan To Boost Technology –Amaechi

The new campus of the Rivers State University of Science Technology(RSUST) is to be ready by 2014, Governor Chibuike Amaechi has assured.

The Governor gave the hint during the 19th-23rd convocation ceremony of the state- owned university last Saturday in Port Harcourt.

Amaechi declared, “from our calculations, we will be able to move the first batch of students by 2014″.

Rt Hon. Amaechi maintained that the plan to relocate the institution to a more spacious site was still in progress as his administration was poised to restore the school’s glory as the premier university of technology in the country.

He recalled that prior to the inception of his administration, the university was comatose and in serious decay, hence, the resolve to appoint a new governing council and Vice Chancellor, saying, “today, I am very proud of that decision and I have seen the changes with my eyes”.

Apart from pulling the institution out of the rots, Governor Amaechi argued that the convocation ceremony also underscored the drastic changes the school had undergone under the new leadership, “I am delightful today because the university has broken the seven years jinx of non-conferment of degrees and diplomas to deserving students,” he said

He, therefore, pledged government’s support to develop the school, as he assured that the health centre would be refurbished and equipped before the end of next year.

Congratulating the new graduands, Amaechi enjoined them to be good ambassadors of the institution bearing in mind the values they had imbibed, “excellence and creativity must be found in everything you do. Remember always that this is your alma-mater and so make sure you contribute to make it great”, he pleaded.

The Rivers State Governor also commended the Senate President, Senator David Mark who alongside High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs were conferred with honorary doctorate degrees at the event.

In the words of Amaechi,”our dear David Bonaventure Mark…is very distinguished and legendary and is renowned, is a friend of Rivers State and a frontline statesman”.

He said both Senator Mark and Chief Lulu-Briggs deserved the awards and wished them well in their endeavours.

Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Governing Council of RSUST, and former Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Adolpus Karibi-Whyte stated that the new changes seen in the university were as a result of support given to it by the Governor.

Despite the daunting challenges, he said the council had been able to reform the institution and make it an ICT centre.

The same view was expressed by the Vice Chancellor, Prof Barineme Fakae who described the convocation as a milestone with a record figure of 25,917 graduands.

So far, Prof Fakae disclosed that the university had made tremendous improvements in its infrastructure and manpower development, and called on the state government to assist in the completion of some ongoing projects to sustain its accreditation.

Meanwhile, the Senate President David Mark has commended the authorities of the RSUST for its giant strides in technological improvements in the country.

He emphasised that the Federal Government would ensure that high premium was placed on technology innovation.

The Senate President who lauded the university for the award given to him pledged to entrench democracy and touch the lives of the common man.

In a related development, Senate President, Senator David Mark, has underscored the Federal government’s desire to give priority attention to technological development and research in the country.

Senator Mark gave the indication at the 19th-23rd convocation ceremony of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology(RSUST) last Saturday in Port Harcourt.

Senator Mark who received an honorary doctorate degree with High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs from the university, noted that the Federal Government was giving serious attention to science and technology development in order to stimulate the country’s vision in being a strong economy by 2020.

So far, he pointed out that the university had made huge marks in technology development while urging it to sustain the tempo.

According to Senator Mark,”you should not join the bandwagon, break from the ranks and join the few that chart a fresh path”.

He decried the low attention given to technology education by the authorities, and therefore, urged the state government to ensure that  educational institutions were managed to provide maximum results.

Senator Mark described universities as powerful agents of change, stressing that all measures must be put in place to promote excellence and hard work in the institution, and commended the university for” growing to be one of the best in Africa”.

The Senate President however, called on the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU),including other unions in the university to cooperate with the university authorities to ensure that the vision of the institution was realised.

In his speech earlier, Governor Chibuike Amaechi and Visitor to the school pledged to restore the university to its status as the country’s premier university in science and technology..

He lauded the governing council of the university for the drastic transformation the institution had undergone especially in infrastructure and ICT, adding that,” the focus of this administration is to improve technology and agriculture as new revenue earners”.

He promised that the government would ensure that the moot court building in the university’s Law Faculty was completed in 2012.

Amaechi identified the Law programme being run by the school as one of the best in the country as he promised that the state government would make sure that the status was maintained.

However, he enjoined both private and corporate bodies to come to the aid of the university, “we must learn to encourage greater support aside grants and government’s investment”, he said.

This, he said could be achieved with synergy between the alumni and the outside world,” everywhere in the world, universities survive first from endowments, no government or one institution can do it alone”, he reiterated.

Earlier, the chairman of the Governing Council of the university, Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte thanked the Governor for his support to the university, and observed that the school still needed more funding to boost its research and scholarships.

In his remarks, Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof Barineme Fakae stated that in the course of executing its mandate, the university was faced with myriads of problems which included shortage of teaching and non-teaching staff.

He also pleaded for improved welfare for staffers as the university underwrites payment of some of its staff in partime studies.

Highlights of the ceremony were the commissioning of the Rotimi Amaechi Centre for Technology and the unveiling of the RANCAM Link Road and the new Soil and Biology Laboratory by the Senate President.

Wife of the Secretary to Rivers State Government, Mrs Stella Feyii who represented the governor’s wife chatting with Commissioner for Transport, Hon George Tolofari at the Skye Bank’s Savers Promo in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday. Photo Chris Monyananga