RSUST Bill Excites RVHA Speaker, Others

In an effort to finally repeal and re-enact the Rivers State University of Science and Technology Law, Cap 133, Law of Rivers State of Nigeria 1999, the Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Education last Wednesday held a public hearing at the state assembly complex in Port Harcourt.
Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, represented by the Majority Leader, Hon Martin Amaewhule, recalled how the positive thoughts that resonated among Rivers people when the university was established testified to the special attachment Rivers people have for some issues in the school”, adding that “the bill seeks to produce scientific and technical manpower needed for essential development with less interference”.
While praising the effort of chairman of the House Committee on Education, Hon Farah Dagogo on the bill, the speaker said the assembly deemed it necessary that the bill passes through due process for stakeholders in the state to make their inputs.
He assured that the assembly would do its best to ensure the passage of the bill into law.
In his opening remark, Hon Dagogo stated that the objective of repealing the law and re-enacting the bill is to see the university return to its rightful place among other universities in Nigeria and in West Africa.
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon Emmanuel Aguma, represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs Florence Fiberesima, said though the change of the university’s name was not included in the bill, he expressed the need to review the name of the university in line with global best practices.
The Attorney General emphasized on the sections  where the bill proposed a single term of five years against seven years as one of the major amendments in the bill.
He said the ministry of justice would partner with the legal department to do justice on the bill.

Enoch Epelle