Education
Crisis Brews At CRUTECH As Ayade Appoints New VC
The Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, has appointed an acting Vice-Chancellor of the Cross River State University of Technology (CRUTECH).
He is Prof. Ogar David Abua.
It was gathered that Prof. Ogar David Abua from University of Calabar (Unical) was appointed the new acting VC for CRUTECH, the appointment was effective November 7th 2019.
According to findings, the appointment was against choices made by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASU) of the University, a development that may lead to bad blood between the governor and ASUU.
The union has vowed not to accept any other candidate aside one from the list of five names submitted to the Governor.
The Registrar of CRUTECH, Mr. Gabriel Beshel who confirmed the appointment to newsmen via a phone conversation, however, said ASUU had nothing to do with the appointment.
“Governor Ben Ayade is the visitor to the University. It is only him that has the power to appoint the VC of the University. He has the power to appoint anybody to an acting position in the University. ASU does not have such powers and we have no idea about their choice”.
The state Chief Press Secretary Mr. Christian Ita also confirmed the appointment saying that the press release to that effect came from the
office of the Secretary to the State Government.
Already, there is tension in the University as ASUU, CRUTECH chapter convened an emergency meeting with a view to downing tools in the University.
Meanwhile, the lecturers in the University have returned the students examination scripts of both final year students and others to the office of the Vice Chancellor.
Friday Nwagbara, Calabar
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, emphasised the need for students to go beyond academic achievements during the university’s 43rd Convocation ceremony.
The theme, “The University Culture In Practice, The IAUE Experience,” highlights the importance of embracing cherished traditions and intellectual values that define great universities.
Prof. Onuchuku encouraged the new graduates to work hard and persevere, noting that their convocation marks a new beginning in their careers and personal lives. He emphasised that they must prove themselves worthy of the certificates and prizes they have received.
According to him, out of 2,887 first-degree graduands, four made First Class, 403 secured Second Class Upper, 2,030 got Second Class Lower, and 450 graduated with Third Class. Additionally, 1,492 postgraduate students graduated, including 306 PhD holders.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), praised the university’s commitment to academic excellence and institutional maturity. He commended the Acting Vice Chancellor for achieving full accreditation for 47 academic programmes and implementing the NUC’s Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards.
The administrator urged the new graduates to uphold the positive values instilled in them by the university and strive for continuous knowledge and improvement.
By: King Onunwor
The Niger Delta Students Union Government, Rivers State Chapter (NIDSUG), has suspended its planned protest against the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) state office in Port Harcourt. The suspension followed an intervention by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju.
The students had planned to protest on Thursday, citing alleged neglect by the NDDC, particularly in welfare and capacity-building programmes for students from the state. However, after the police intervention, the students agreed to participate in a roundtable discussion with the commission to address their concerns.
NIDSUG leader, Comrade Loveday Njoku, expressed dissatisfaction with the commission’s alleged exclusion of students from benefiting from its programmes. He presented a seven-point demand, including the reintroduction of scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Njoku emphasised that education is crucial for community development and urged the commission to invest in the future leaders of the state.
The students warned that if their demands are not met, they will resume the protest and occupy the state commission office until their demands are addressed. Despite previous attempts to reach out to the commission’s management team, the students claimed their efforts were unsuccessful.
By: Akujobi Amadi
As part of efforts to improve the welfare and overall quality of education for students in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, the Sole Administrator, Sir (Dr.) Clifford Ndu Walter DSSRS, FCAI, JP, paid an unscheduled visit to Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi.
During the visit, Sir Walter expressed deep concern over the deplorable state of the school and its surrounding environment. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the development of the education sector, stressing its critical role in nation-building.
“I have visited the primary school in Ogbogoro, and now I’m here at the Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi. I am not satisfied with what I’ve seen,” he stated, indicating that more surprise visits to schools would follow.
To address the issues, the Sole Administrator directed the Council Engineer to commence process for rehabilitation of the school.
The visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at conducting on-the-spot assessments of educational facilities to determine the level of intervention required by the local government council.
Dr. Walter also assured the teachers of his unwavering commitment to revamp the school and improve the learning environment for both staff and students.