Amaechi Ends Fee Disparity In RSUST …Assures Completion Of Rumuolumeni, Woji Road

Rivers State Governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has reversed the school fees payment structure at the state-owned Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST).
The Governor directed that all students of the university would pay the same amount for tuition whether they are indigenes of Rivers State or not.
Amaechi announced the fees reversal when he visited RSUST on Monday for an interactive session with students of the university; and sensitize them on voters’ registration and collection of permanent voter’s cards which is scheduled to commence on Friday.
Responding to the  questions’ and concerns of students which included discrimination in school fees among indigenes and non-indigenes, Governor Amaechi directed the school management to ensure that all students of the university pay the same amount of fees.
“Anybody in Rivers State University of Science and Technology is an indigene. All of us are Nigerians”, he said, and directed the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. George Feyii to prepare a letter to the state university to that effect. “The reason why I made that statement and I am going to back it up with a letter is that we are all Nigerians. So, from today, no more discrimination in school fees,” Amaechi stated.
He enjoined the school authority to allow students to register their courses and pay later for those whose fees were not readily available at the time of registration, in order not to deprive them of studying with their classmates.
He said, “My personal view is, because of the current economic situation, any student who has money to pay (for school fees), let him pay. The ones that don’t have money yet, let them register, and during exams, you collect your money. The reason is that 60 to 70 per cent of you (the students) are from very poor backgrounds. My father was a retiree when I got into the university. I didn’t have money but school fees was very cheap”.
He also called on the school management to grant freedom to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to exercise their democratic rights in the university.
“Allow ASUU, let the lecturers form their ASUU. I will direct the Commissioner for Education to write to the university to allow the lecturers congregate and form their union. The law allows them to do so. That is democracy,” Amaechi said.
Governor Amaechi also appealed to the students to be part of INEC’s forthcoming Permanent Voters Card (PVC) collection and fresh voters registration exercise to enable them exercise their civic right in next year’s elections.
“I am aware that from Friday, we would start collecting what they call the permanent voter’s card. I am aware that after the collection of permanent voter’s card, they would start fresh registration of voters. That’s part of what brought me (to your university). “I have come to say to those who are sixteen, don’t go and vote but those who are up to eighteen, go and vote; but to vote, you must first and foremost, go to collect your permanent voter’s card. If you don’t have a permanent voter’s card, then you need to go and register as they start registration,” he said.
The governor explained that he parted ways with the ruling PDP because the PDP-led federal government failed to address the challenges facing Rivers State.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of RSUST, Prof. B. B. Fakae welcomed the governor on his sensitization visit to the university which he described as one of the country’s foremost universities in ICT.
Meanwhile, moved by the sorry state of the Rumuolemeni road, Governor Chibuike Amaechi has assured residents and students that the road will be completed before his exit on May 29th next year.
The governor had during a sensitization forum on voters registration  with students of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education at Rumuolemeni campus yesterday disclosed that already N1billion has been released to fasten the pace of work.
“We will put pressure on the contractor because I would not want to come back here during campaign without the road done,” he promised.
He admitted that government was responsible for the slow pace of work on the road but pledged that, ” We will slow down on Woji Road and focus on Rumuolemeni Road. Before I leave office I will fix Woji and Elelenwo roads.”
The governor explained that the state was facing financial challenges, but assured that it would not relent in road projects, while hinting that after the ongoing roads repair in D-Line area, the government would fix those in Diobu axis as well.
Calling on students to ensure they collect their permanent voters cards, Amaechi urged those who have not registered to use the upcoming registration exercise to do so.
Governor Amaechi disclosed that a recent study has revealed that about 10 million persons would reach the age of 18 years, and challenged students not to waste the opportunity to exercise their voting rights.
He warned that there was no reason for another Ikwerre and incompetent man to become governor and urged the people to resist corrupt candidates.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Education, Prof. Rosemund Green-Osaoghulu in her speech commended the governor for showing uncommon vision to revamp education in the state.
Prof. Green-Osaghulu remarked that the governor has demonstrated democratic principles in his quest to transform the state, adding that despite the current political and economic challenges the state chief executive has remained true to his visions and goals.

European Union delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Alen Monday, addressing newsmen at a press conference in Port Harcourt, last Monday. With him are Country Director, Mr Chom Bagu (left) and Independent Programme Evaluator, Evelin Weller. Photo: Nwiueh Donatus Ken