RSG To Partner India On New Medical School …Plans RIVPOLY Revival

Vice President Namadi Sambo (left), presenting `Sallah' gift to President Goodluck Jonathan, during a Sallah homage to the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday

Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has
said that his administration has commenced talks with Indian authorities on how
to establish a new medical school in the state.

Governor Amaechi gave the hint while addressing the Indian
Community during the Indian Cultural Association Day held yesterday in Port
Harcourt.

Amaechi said the collaboration was aimed at providing
manpower for the school,” once we are sure that Indians can supply us with
medical teachers, then, we will be ready to establish it. Because it is not
good to establish a medical school without qualified teachers to teach. You
will be producing butchers not doctors’’, he said.

He stressed that the State branch of the Nigerian Medical
Association(NMA) will also contribute in providing teaching staff, pointing out
that once the new college takes off, it will provide the required manpower to
man the numerous health facilities being built by his administration.

Explaining plans by his administration to evolve tougher
laws on waste management, Rt. Hon. Amaechi said the measure had become
imperative due to the indiscriminate dumping of refuse along the road and other
public places by members of the public.

Once the laws are passed, according to him, offenders would
be liable to two to three years imprisonment but stressed that,” when we get it
right, we can amend the law to six months or one month, but for now, three to
two years imprisonment for all those who dump wastes on the streets.

“ If the bin is around your area and you see people dumping
waste along the way and you don’t do anything, you too will go for three years.
That way everybody becomes responsible’’, he added.

He, however, said the laws would be enforced once the
necessary infrastructures were put in place, stating that waste bins, bags and
receptacles would be made available to the public.

The same measure he state would be adopted in schools as
parents and guardians would be penalised for not sending their wards to school,
especially primary and secondary schools.

Adding, he said,” if we say we are providing education free
you have no reason keeping a child at home. Though at the university level, we
may not be able to pay the fees, but for primary and secondary schools, you
must bring your child to school ‘’.

He thanked the Indian Community in the state for support and
patience with government during times of crisis and assured them of adequate
security and stable business environment.

Later on, Indian High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr. Mahesh
Sachdeva commended the State Governor for his developmental efforts, especially
in the area of security,” the era, four years ago, when Indians were kidnapped
is gone,’’ he remarked.

He pledged collaboration in the area of health and education
and hinted of plans to establish a fertilizer plant in the next six years in
the state.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Polytechnic  (RIVPOLY), Bori, will witness a new dawn in
infrastructural and human development in the remaining two years of the present
administration.

The Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi who said this during
the 14th-17th convocation of the polytechnic at the weekend, also urged for the
right polices by the management of the institution to meet the yearnings and
aspirations of the people of the state.

Governor Amaechi, said that the polytechnic must meet the
desire of the state to produce the needed manpower that would grow the economy,
stressing that the institution must be equipped scientifically to produce the
desired result.

He, however, warned against over-admission of students,
while the competency of the  academic
staff must be tested to ensure they meet the required academic standard.

Governor Amaechi further told the management of Rivers State
Polytechnic, Bori to start afresh if they want to get it right.

He said the impact of the school was not felt in the
society, hence, the need for upgrading. The state Governor noted with dismay
the inability of the polytechnic graduates to give accurate measurement at the
state’s metal plant project at Kira.

He hinted that it took the state about four years of vain
measurement until an expatriate was invited to give the correct measurement.

He also challenged them to equip the school with current
scientific equipment, adding that their annual allocation would be increased to
meet the new task.

The governor demanded to see the list of lecturers and their
qualifications, soon so as to enable the government plan well for them.

‘I g ave them two weeks to furnish me with the information,
they also need to tell me when and how to get lecturers. I have given the same
marching order to RSUST. We use to boo lecturers who were not doing well in my
days in schools, we used to call them itii (fool)”,he said.

According to him, they stand the risk of changing the name
of the school to Bori Management School if they failed to embrace the new
education system.

In his welcome address, the outgone chairman of the
Governing Board of the polytechnic, Prof Augustine Ahiauzu said that the board
within the last four years provided the necessary guidance to the management of
the polytechnic, a situation that had enabled the achievements in the
maintenance of high academic standards.

‘The evidence of this is shown in the excellent
accreditation ratings of our programmes by NBTE and other professional bodies”,
he said.

John Bibor & King Onuwor