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Michael Okpara Varsity Demands N10bn Take-Off Grant From FG

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The Vice Chancellor of the University of Agriculture, Umudike, Prof. Maduebibisi Iwe, says the institution has applied for N10 billion take off grant from the Federal Government.
Iwe said this on Friday in Umuahia at a press conference organised to mark his 100 days in office.
He said the application was forwarded to the Federal Government through the Presidential Visitation Panel (PVP) during its recent visit to the institution.
He said the university had not received take-off grant since it was established in 1993.
He said, “We are still asking for take-off grant because we have not traced any document showing that the university got a take off-grant.
“The take-off grant shouldn’t have been less than N1 billion as at 1993/1994.”
He said the management,  in its presentation to the visitation panel jacked it up to N10 billion.
He also spoke on the fate of some staff members of the university, whose appointments were “suspended” in 2017 by the administration of late Prof. Francis Otunta.
He said that those whose appointment letters read “offer of appointment” were reinstated, while those on one-year temporary appointments were suspended, after they elapsed.
Iwe further said that the university did not demote any professor during the same period, as reported in a section of the media.
He said the university only did “proper placement” of some academic staff members, in line with a directive of the governing council of the university.
He said the council also investigated alleged irregularities in employment and promotions during the administration of Prof. Hilary Edeoga.
Speaking on some of his achievements, he said he realised his promise to ensure that the university senate conducted its businesses via online and soft copy processes.
Iwe also said the transcripts of graduates up to 2010 were now ready for use through online and that the remaining 2000 transcripts would soon be ready for upload on the platform.
He said his administration had also resolved some issues that impeded the completion of some building projects in the institution, through peaceful negotiations with the contractors.
He hoped that work would soon resume on the projects, which included the College of Agricultural Economics, Rural Sociology and Extension, College of Physical and Applied Sciences, amongst others.
The vice chancellor also said his administration had initiated an open door policy in its relations with students and that efforts were ongoing to provide the necessary infrastructure for effective teaching and learning.
He also said the issues of workers’ welfare were being addressed, adding that the management had started paying the two years arrears of responsibility allowances to deserving workers.
He said that his administration also resolved a five-year dispute with Aeon Consult Ltd, which impounded 45  vehicles purchased for shuttle services by the university.
He expressed joy that the vehicles had been handed over to the university and presently undergoing refurbishment.
The VC also said he made history on June 8, when the university signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) after two years of “sustained impasse”.
He said “Today, the university’s state-of-the art weather station built and equipped by NiMet is fully functional.”
He said the agency also gave its commitment to equip the university’s laboratory, “possibly at no cost to the university”, in addition to staff training and donation of resource materials.
Iwe said that the university’s Agric Graduate Loan Scheme, which was recently inaugurated by his administration, had given between N120,000 and N400,000 to the first set of beneficiaries.
He said the initiative was in line with his commitment to produce self-sufficient farmers.
He said the loan was tied to fish production, poultry farming, cassava production, pig farming, egg sales, palm oil marketing and agric input sales.
He said his administration also purchased a N2 million state-of-the-art farm equipment as part of the process to commence largescale farming in the university.

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Education, Bedrock Of Any Nation – Anyanwu

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Chairman of Etche Local Government Council of Rivers State, Hon Obinna Anyanwu, has stated that education remains the bed-rock of any nation.
Anyanwu stated this shortly after his brother delivered the 50th Inaugural Lecture of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE) titled,: “Managing The Silent Killer In Nigerian Universities,” last Thursday, at the school’s main campus in Port Harcourt.
The chairman added that the incisive lecture presentation was a clear evidence that Etche people are brilliant as well as love education. ‘This is why Etche people today are proud of Prof Gift Uchenna Nwiyi. It is not easy to have a Professor in a university such as this and I am very proud of my brother. He has shown capacity. He has shown that his wealth of wisdom is impacted to the people, so I am very honoured. As you can see, I stayed from the beginning to the end; that shows our commitment to education; shows that education is the bedrock of any nation,” he said.
Anyanwu stated further that the topic, ‘Managing The Silent Killer In Nigerian Universities’ was necessary, describing it as apt and timely, stressing that many people were going through lots of stress without knowing.
He charged all participants especially other Professors to put all that they have been taught into practice, stressing that excessive and chronic stress kills faster than one would least expect.
Speaking while delivering the inaugural lecture, the inaugural lecturer, Prof Gift Uchenna Nwiyi stated that academic administrators are more prone to face pressure arising from job demands of dual functions, teaching as well as administration, making them to experience high level of stress.
Nwiyi recommended that Vice Chancellors in universities should not allow one lecturer to handle dual functions, adding that they should always go for regular exercise as well medical check-up for a healthy living.
He stressed that the role of academic administrators in Nigerian universities is enormous and needs very conscious and active minded individuals, who will perform these roles with minimal stress for effective service delivery.
On his part, the Vice Chancellor, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Prof Onuchuku Okechuku, charged the participants to avoid too much stress, noting tha it is better to work and be able to enjoy what you laboured for than to work and die by not managing the silent killer called stress.

By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana

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Mrs Wike Lauds School For Upholding Academic Excellence

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Justice Suzzette Eberechi Wike has commended Archdeacon Crowther Memorial Girls Shool (ACMGS), Elelenwo Old Girl’s Association ( OGA) for supporting their Alma Mata to upholding academic excellence in the school over the years as it marks her 80th anniversary of the school existence.
Justice Wike who is a serving judge at state judiciary and wife of the immediate past governor of the State stated this in her key note address at the 80th years anniversary celebration of the establishment of the school held at the school premises in Elelenwo Port Harcourt Rivers State,over the weekend.
She described the school as one of the best girls secondary school in Nigeria, noting that the school has improved from what it was used to be know in the past as a lot of developments have taken place.
The former first lady said as a former student in the college and coming back here now ,”I can see that a lot has taken place that from the past experience of the old student of the school that there were no electricity and water in the school premises .we used go to the village to fetch water but all those experiences have gone
The children here now are lucky because they have a better condition.”
“ Before I came to the event center today I went straight to the bath room and I was wondering how clean the place look like from what it used to be and much has be upgraded.
A lot of beautiful things have happened in the school so the children are even lucky than we were, meaning that there are going to be more better than days ahead “ she stated.
Justice expressed happiness for being a product of the school, adding that they are going to celebrate many more products of the school as time goes on .

By: Akujobi Amadi

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Don Charts Path To Economic Growth

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Nigeria, particularly Rivers State, has all the local content to develop, empower and transform the country into enviable heights.
Twelve trillion naira Ethanol imported yearly to Nigeria can end unemployment, youth restiveness in Nigeria.
These were the words of a Professor, who recommended some measures to encourage the use of local content in order to increase Nigerian’s economic growth.
Speaking during the Rivers State University’s (RSU) 93rd Inaugural Lecture with the Topic, Unit Operations Application in the Development Of Local Content: A Key To Nigeria Economic Growth, held last Wednesday, at the university’s main campus in Port Harcourt, Professor of Unit Operations in Chemical Engineering, Falilat Taiwo Ademiluyi, explained that there should be a deviation from crude oil to Cassava production.
Ademiluyi called Ogoni, Etche, Ikwerre and other local government areas on increased cassava production to reduce the high cost of fuel that Nigeria is facing presently.
She added that Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava and all result should invest heavily on cassava.
She described cassava as gold that can transform the country into enviable heights if ethanol can be produced from cassava, which in turn is capable of tackling whatever crude oil is used for.
Cassava can be processed through fermentation, grind and dried it can be stored for five years, noting that for it to be used for ethanol that will reduce the high cost of fuel Nigerians are currently facing it needs to be properly dried.
‘Enough ethanol blended with crude oil can reduce the price of petrol. From the pure water sachets and plastics we can produce aviation fuel.
“Looking at the title of the inaugural lecture, Nigeria mainly industrial supplies such as 27 percent of total in 2014, capital goods 23 percent, food and beverage 17 percent, fuel and lubricants 14 pecent, transport equipment and parts 12 percent and consumer goods seven percent, comparing that 43 percent of total imports come from Asia, 34 percent from Europe, 15 percent from America and seven percent from Africa (Trading Economics 2022).
Our top five items exported by Nigeria are Mineral fuels including crude Oil 90.7 percent, Fertilizers three percent,among others. Removal of the first item leaves Nigeria with only 9.3 percent on export, so how will any economy of a nation grow on 9.3 percent export without effective applications of unit operations to convert our local materials to the form we can export them?
Professor Ademiluyi made a 10-point recommendations that would position Nigerian Economic growth on a high scale. Some of these recommendations are as follows: that cassava processing factories should be established in all the local government areas of the state to enable farmers process them fast into dry flours or starches before sales.

By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana

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