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RSUST Expels 588 Students For Poor Performance …Honours Seven For Academic Excellence
About 588 students of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, have been forced to withdraw from their various academic programmes because of their inability to meet up the academic standard of the university.
Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Barineme Fakae, disclosed this yesterday at the 32rd matriculation ceremony of the university in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
While welcoming the newly admitted students, the vice chancellor reminded them that hardwork and dedication remained the watchword for academic excellence, stressing that the present administration in the university has zero-tolerance for examination malpractice and other social vices.
Fakae added that the Senate of the university would sanction any erring student found to have been involved in any of the unacceptable practices.
“You are, therefore, advised in your interest to obey the university rules and regulations, shun vices that will tarnish the good image of the university. We do not compromise on standard because our vision and values must continue to be held in high esteem,” the vice chancellor said.
Noting that matriculation ceremonies are rituals to announce formal admission of fresh students, Prof Fakae said “the matriculation oath you have taken today contains ethos and rules of intellectual engagement that will guide your behaviour all through the period of your stay in this university.”
The vice chancellor also explained the path to academic excellence in quality decision, diligence, doggedness, and devotion to God, and advised them to maintain excellence in line with the vision of the institution’s founding fathers.
He said that the institution has over the years developed academic programmes and faculties comparable to those in other countries, and that the onus was on the students to make proper use of both material and human resources at their disposal to their advantage.
Prof Fakae further stressed the need for students to be information and communication technology (ICT) compliant as most businesses were online in the university, noting that “you will recall that you undertook a computerised registration process, which included payment of school fees, clearance and online registration of courses.”
According to him, non-registration as a student at the beginning of every session implies loss of studentship as no score would be imputed for courses that were undertaken without due course registration.
He revealed that out of over 10,000 candidates that applied to RSUST through the Joint Admission and Matriculations Board (JAMB) and went through the University Matriculation Examinations (UME), only 2,955 candidates were found worthy to be admitted within the National Universities Commission (NUC) approved carrying capacity.
Meanwhile, in sustenance of its avowed passion for creativity and excellence, authorities of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, has honoured seven students for academic excellence.
Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Barineme Bekee Fakae, announced this yesterday during the 32rd matriculation ceremony held at the Convocation Arena of the institution in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The vice chancellor said that those honoured were students who emerged tops in the seven faculties of the university.
Top on the list is Miss Buekor Nyornebari Grace with matriculation number: DE2012/2550 of Applied and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Science, who scored 5.00 as her total 100-level CGPA. This means that Buekor scored A in all her courses in the first year.
Others were Okara Goodtime Chimnecherem with matriculation number: DE 2012/1603 in Public Law Department, who emerged best in the law faculty with 4.93 CGPA score; Okoroma Jeremiah Ifeanyi with matriculation number: DE 2012/1215 of Petroleum Engineering Department, who emerged first in the Faculty of Engineering with the CGPA score of 4.89; as well as Nwogu Prince Chinemerem with matriculation number: DE 2012/1346 of Quantity Surveying Department, who came tops in the Faculty of Environmental Sciences with CGPA score of 4.57.
Also honoured were Okorogu Chikwueabuka with matriculation number: DE 2012/2347 of Department of Accountancy, who came first in the Faculty of Management Sciences with CGPA of 4.33; Onyekwe Josefa Chiderah with matriculation number: DE 2012/0098 of Food Science and Technology, who emerged best in the Faculty of Agriculture with 4.08 CGPA score; as well as Briggs Sandra Opuene with matriculation number: DE 2012/3479 of Science and Technical Education, who emerged tops in the Faculty of Technical and Science Education, with CGPA score of 3.76.
The vice chancellor said those honoured were first year students, who came tops in their faculties.
They were given a laptop each as a way of encouraging them for their academic excellence.
Fakae said the award, which has become an annual ritual, is aimed at encouraging excellence and creativity in their academic pursuits.
He reiterated the fact that in the actualisation of creativity and excellence, the university would continue to encourage outstanding students, and urged the newly admitted students to take their studies seriously.
However, 588 students were asked to Withdraw for Academic Failure (WAF) as the vice chancellor noted that the present administration has zero tolerance for academic laxity.
Prof Fakae urged the new intakes to be diligent in their studies and to shun acts that could smear the good image of RSUST in its pursuit of excellence and creativity, stressing that those found below expectation would be shown the way out of the institution.
Accident victim at the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Lagos as Joint Health Workers strike continues in Lagos State, yesterday.
Chris Oluoh
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
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.