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RSUST Back On Track -VC …Amaechi Pledges Better Welfare For Varsity
Barely five years after the Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Prof Barineme Fakae had embarked on an audacious mission to rescue the university from near extinction, Fakae says the institution has again bounced back on the track of academic excellence.
Making the declaration at the 24th convocation ceremony of the university over the weekend in Port Harcourt, the VC in his address entitled ‘RSUST: Back on Track”, said time was when the university, “out of 39 programmes, had only 8 fully accredited but today, I am glad to inform you that all the programmes of the university presented to National University Commission are presently fully accredited.” He added that two programmes, architecture and land surveying that suffered loss in 2005 would be attended to by the NUC accreditation team billed to visit RSUST on 28th of this month, and expressed optimism that the two programmes would record 100% accreditation.
Fakae also noted that out of 122 universities currently operating in the country, only 27 were qualified to be visited for institutional accreditation, and that RSUST was one of those qualified.
“Today, I am particularly glad to announce that the results just received show that following the institutional accreditation visit in December, 2011, this university has now been institutionally accredited and rated A in its category to operate for the next five years, after which it will be due for another visitation,” Fakae noted.
The RSUST VC remarked that in his administration’s quest to position the institution as a world class standard, infrastructural development, staff welfare, students’ matters, sports development and information and communication technology have received deserved attention, and commended the university’s visitor and Governor of Rivers State, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi for his tremendous support and encouragement without which the long list of projects carried out could not have been possible.
He, therefore, appealed for Amaechi’s continuous support to the institution to enable it complete the moot court project in the Faculty of Law to enable it escape the hangman’s rope of the council for legal education.
“The moot court is a special requirement for the next accreditation of our law programme. The status of this programme will be at risk if nothing is done about this building when the present accreditation expires in 2013, he said.
The VC appealed to ASUU, SSANU, NASU and NAAT branches of RSUST to embrace dialogue and exhaust all avenues for peaceful resolution to conflicts before contemplating and embarking on strike. According to him, it was when there is industrial harmony that the university would be able to keep to the calendar of its academic programmes that would enble lectures, research and staff promotion to go on uninterrupted.
Earlier in his address, Pro-Chancellor and chairman of the university’s Governing Council, Justice Adophus Karibi-Whyte had commended the graduands, pointing out that it takes commitment, dedication and hard work to be acknowledged as worthy in character and learning, He charged them to good ambassadors of the university as well as maintain continuous link with their alma mater.
Highpoint of the event was the granting of the VC’s request by Governor Amaechi to recruit staff to further strengthen the university’s workforce.
The VC had lamented the frustration in the system bottleneck that hindered the institution from employing needed staff to man critical areas, noting that the situation had become precarious as the department of medical laboratory science is at the verge of losing its professional accreditation as a result of paucity of personnel, especially teaching staff.
A total of 3,541 graduands received certificates, postgraduate diploma and higher degrees in various specialization.
Of the figure, 3,219 got first degrees, 85 postgraduate diplomas, 215 master and 22 doctorate degrees. Three graduates made the prestigious first class .
Meanwhile, Governor Chibuike Amaechi has pledged government resolve for better working conditions and manpower in the State-owned University of Science and Technology(RSUST).
Governor Amaechi made the pledge at the 24th Convocation ceremony of the university in Port Harcourt on Saturday.
Overwhelmed with the academic achievements of RSUST, Amaechi urged the Vice Chancellor of the university and management to sit with ASUU and negotiate a new condition of service, which includes determination of staff who do not live up to their expectation.
‘I will also implore the university to employ new academic staff. There is no university if there are no teachers’’, he stated.
He approved the completion of the moot court building of the Faculty of Law as it would enhance the quality of graduates from the department.
Amaechi, however advised management of the institution to devoid itself from politics “I don’t approve of the signboards I see around the campus comparing what is in the past to the present. Whatever achievements we have made we congratulate the Vice Chancellor for those achievements and let it remain as achievements,’’ he said.
The governor commended the industry and commitment of the Governing Council and the Vice Chancellor for overhauling the institution and being able to break the jinx of non-accreditation and clearing the backlog of students who were unable to graduate over the years.
Amaechi congratulated the graduands, and urged them to be the torch lights of the society. “Ideas rule the world, hence this convocation is an indication of the seriousness and commitment you have shown to your studies. Bring the same to bear as you go to the outside world ‘’, he remarked.
He lauded former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon Odein Ajumogobia for bagging the university’s honourary doctorate degree in law, observing that the award was in recognition of Ajumogobia’s hardwork and integrity even as he wished him well in his future endeavour.
Earlier, in his address, the Pro-Chancellor of the university, Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte had said that the institution was undergoing drastic changes, and expressed appreciation to the Governor for providing the moral and financial support to the university’s governing council.
Justice Karibi-Whyte said,’’ I wish to express our profound gratitude to your Excellency for your unparalleled and continued support to the Rivers State University of Science and Technology(RSUST). You are one Visitor to this university that has shown a thorough understanding of the peculiar problems of our university’’.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof Barineme Fakae said the convocation was coming six months after last year’s one to clear the backlog of 2010-2011, and promised that the next convocation would come up next year.’’
He noted that the university has made tremendous strides over the years with a full accreditation of all its programmes by the National University Commission(NUC). Currently, he said the institution has become a world class in infrastructure and ICT, as it was rated A in its category of universities by NUC.
Chris Oluoh & Kevin Nengia
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
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RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.