The Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) last Friday announced the promotion of 14 of its academic staff to the position of Professors and Readers in the institution.
Out-going Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Barineme Fakae made the announcement on Monday at the valedictory Senate session held in his honour in the school.
According to the announcement, nine of the lecturers were promoted to the rank of professors, while five were readers.
The Professors are: Professors E. A. Gobo (Research Professor in Meteorology); I.F. Oruambo (Professor in Environmental Toxicology), E.D. Uko (Professor of Geophysis); and B.V. Omubo-Pepple (Professor of Solid State Physics).
Others are; Professor A.O. Amakiri (Professor of Animal Science – Poultry Production); N.S. Okoroma (Professor of Educational Management and Planning); O.B. Owei (Professor of Urban and Regional Planning); S. Orupabo (Professor of Land Surveying) and B.O. Green (Professor of Plant Taxonomy/Biosytematics).
Those promoted to the position of Readers are: Dr. C.L. Eze (Research Reader in Applied Geophysis); Dr. C.L. Ngah (Research Reader in Hydro-Geology); Dr. J.N. Onwuteaka (Reader in International Marketing); and Dr. N. Imaah (Reader in Architecture).
In an exclusive post-session interview Fakae, explained that the promotions came faster than what it used to be in the past as a result of innovations put in place during his tenure as Vice Chancellor of the University.
“Our University has understood that for years now, the manual method of assessment has made people get promoted, and the promotion being back-dated three to five years. This is not good in terms of staff welfare.
“Since government does not pay arrears what we decided to do was to be very proactive by using on-line assessment.
“In the past, you send your papers out to outside assessors, who are also Nigerians, and who will not be very willing to bring the report within three months. Some take as much as three years or more, making the staff to wait endlessly.
“In most cases, the VC is usually blamed for playing politics with staff promotion because it’s only the VC that knows where the papers are sent.
“So, we set up an e-assessment committee (Apraisal and Promotion Committee) that came up with a report, which we pass on to (Senate) Council, and that made it easy, using a software.
“This our e-system is what enabled us to facilitate the promotions which was presented on Friday”, the VC said.
Fakae explained further that due to the success recorded through the e-system, other Universities in Nigeria are seeking to key into the system.
“it is interesting to note that this system is now being coveted by all other universities  in the country.
During our conference of VCs, our University was mandated to submit the committee’s report to be adopted by as many Universities that were having problems with assessment”.

Sogbeba Dokubo