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VC Charges Staff Against Academic Fraud …Says Academic Calendar’ll Run Full Course

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Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Prof Okechukwu Onuchuku, has advised staff of the university to shun academic fraud and like vices.
Giving the charge to the academic staff recently when he met with them at the university auditorium, Onuckuku told them to desist from asking students for unnecessary gratifications.
“Do the work you are paid for by teaching and thoroughly supervising the students without attaching monetary value to chapters of project works and examination scores of these students”, he admonished.
Onuchukwu disclosed that the University, in collaboration with security agencies, is set to monitor and expose those found guilty.
He, however, appealed to lecturers who, on the other hand, are enticed by these students to resist such temptation and report the students involved.
Onuckuku further advised staff to work towards accessing N96,000,000.00 TEtfund for conferences, research grants, and book publications.
He said he is willing to approve good proposals that staff can come up with to access the funds.
The Acting VC also encouraged staff to engage in consultancy services, adding that these available avenues of making extra money would help staff live above board.
He intimated staff of the forthcoming accreditation exercise for nine programmes of the University, saying that “all hands must be on deck to ensure full accreditation status for the departments to relax in the next five years”.
He solicited the support of staff in departments and faculties, urging them not to create problems for themselves.
Prof. Onuckuku, who announced that staff were in the university by divine intervention, expressed displeasure at what he called “the level of acrimony, and wickedness in some departments”.
He expressed wonder over why some derive joy in setting up colleagues, asking if perpetrators would receive the salary of the staff if they succeed in pulling them down or prevent their growth in the departments.
He, therefore, urged staff to “forgive one another, work together as brothers, help each other grow in the system, and not to act as lords or suppress others as it is not the best way to live life”.
Onuckuku used the fora to remind all that he was “in the system to provide administrative and academic leadership, transform and make the place better for all to be proud of, and not to entertain petition writing, gossips, chase or pursue people around.”
On promotion of staff, he stated that assessment forms would be sent out for those qualified to apply.
Meanwhile, the Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Prof Okechuku Onuchuku, says the university’s academic calendar would run its full course.
Speaking on Friday, while fielding questions from teaching staff, he explained that the flood incidence experienced in parts of the Niger Delta region is a natural phenomenon with no time frame of cessation.
He said postgraduate students who could not right their examination on the scheduled date (Monday, October 17, 2022) who were unable to write it on the slated date would be given supplementary examination.
He also urged those affected by the natural disaster to concentrate on being alive and not to think of the examination, assuring that the university authority is aware of their situation.
In a vote of thanks, the Director, Administration, Vice Chancellor’s Office, Mr Donald Okogbaa, who is also in charge of the Registry Department, expressed appreciation to the Acting VC for the information.
The forum provided opportunity for staff to ask questions, make valuable contributions, give advice and encouragement to the leadership.

By: Sogbeba Dokubo

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Rivers

UNIPORT Moves To Tackle Insecurity … Inducts Security Experts

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The University of Port Harcourt, has taken a significant step towards addressing the issue of insecurity in Nigeria by producing security experts through its Institute of Niger Delta Studies (INDS), with the institute inducting its first graduating students into the Nigerian Institute For Industrial Security (NIIS), with the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General E E Emekah, delivering a quality lecture on the topic, “Promoting Blue Economy In The Niger Delta: The Place Of Security”.

In his lecture, Major General Emekah emphasised the importance of security in promoting the blue economy in the Niger Delta region.

He noted that the activities of the Joint Tasks Force (JTF) are geared towards maintaining peace on Nigerian waterways and promoting productivity, and also stressed the need for a non-kinetic approach to security operations, winning the hearts and minds of the communities, and collaborating with security personnel to fight insecurity.

The GOC charged the inductees to ensure that their study/training provides practical solutions to the pressing security challenges facing the Niger Delta and Nigeria as a whole.

He emphasised the significance of their studies in UNIPORT, given the prevailing security threat to lives and property, especially on Nigerian waterways.

The Acting Director of INDS, Dr. Chukwu-Okeah, expressed satisfaction that the occasion marks a new milestone in the history of the institute, noting that the Niger Delta has been besieged with environmental and security challenges, and it is time to rise up and build the region through the blue economy ideology.

The blue economy, he explained, emphasises the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and job creation while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem.

He described the blue economy as the new oil well, with the potential to drive economic diversification, job creation, food security, and climate resilience in the region.

One of the inductees, Ayuba Tanimu noted that security is dynamic, and continuous learning and research have equipped them to serve their communities and Nigeria well.

He described the Nigerian Institute For Industrial Security (NIIS) as a body of security professionals that meets annually to craft security policies for the country.

The programme, which attracted prominent individuals from the academia, security, and other sectors had the 7th Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof Joseph Ajienka, as its chairman.

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Rivers

MCDI Inducts 150 Professionals In PH

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The Mentoring and Career Development Institute of Nigeria (MCDI) has inducted about 150 new members into various categories of membership during a special induction ceremony and dinner in Port Harcourt.
Aimed at expanding the institute’s membership base, the event offered new inductees an opportunity to engage with senior members and integrate fully into the organisation’s professional network.
The induction ceremony was part of the 2025 national conference of the institute.
National President of MCDI, Dr. Collins Edebiri, administered the oath, while the new members promised to carry out their duties faithfully, following the institute’s rules and constitution.
Dr. Edebiri emphasised the institute’s core mandate of instilling values that will shape individuals and institutions.
He emphasised the theme of the conference, “Mentoring for Individual and Corporate Leadership”, noting that last year’s focus centred on national development and value reorientation.
Edebiri explained that the induction ceremony is a key feature of the institute’s annual conference, though inductions also occur quarterly.
On the criteria for membership, he said the most important factor is the desire to be mentored or the readiness to mentor others, and urged the new inductees to become ambassadors of value-driven leadership in their respective workplaces.
Guest Speaker at the ceremony, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, who was a former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), shared her experiences from her early days in journalism, attributing much of her professional growth to strong mentorship.
She encouraged members to embrace mentorship as a catalyst for personal and societal advancement.
Seminitari was later presented an award.
New members, including Wisdom Egberi Woniepiriye, and Mrs. Grace Ajinwanyiekwu, expressed their excitement and hope to be mentored well so they can eventually mentor others.
There were a dinner and networking session, marking another success for MCDI in its efforts to build leadership values nationwide.
By: Theresa Frederick & Charity Amiso
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Rivers

Fisherman Gets Thumbs-Up Over Patent Creation 

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The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) has commended a renowned fisherman, Mr. Ricky Brown Owunari, for what it described as a remarkable stride in global engineering content creation.
In a congratulatory message signed by the Association, weekend, the SPE said  the patented “Dewaxer Flow Enhancer and Downhole Tool” had secured official endorsement under U.S. Patent No. 12,448,868 B2.
They said the development has been highlighted as a significant indicator of Rivers State’s growing intellectual and technological capacity, with observers noting that such breakthroughs position the state as a rising hub for innovation.
According to those familiar with the innovation, the achievement serves as proof that Niger Deltans have moved beyond the era of militancy and are now producing world-class content, research outputs, and technical solutions.
The SPE officials described the patented technologies as timely tools designed to tackle wax deposition in crude oil wells, a major challenge that frequently disrupts production and increases maintenance costs.
They further stressed that the milestone underscores the need for Rivers State to invest more in supporting innovators whose works demonstrate global potential.
Industry experts revealed that the tool originated from years of field observation, experimentation, and rigorous research aimed at improving flow assurance in challenging well conditions.
They also urged the Federal Government to show greater appreciation for home-grown innovations, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to formally recognise and encourage technological breakthroughs emerging from the Niger Delta.
Stakeholders at the event warned against piracy, emphasising that unauthorised copying of patented technologies undermines national progress and discourages genuine innovators.
Analysts observed that the breakthrough strengthens the narrative of a new Rivers State built on creativity, content development, and technical excellence rather than conflict.
The session concluded with a call for stronger collaboration between government authorities and industry players to protect intellectual property and position Rivers State as a greenhouse for innovation-driven content.
The content, The Tide gathered, is expected to solve critical challenges in the oil and gas sector, as well as other relevant areas of the national economy.
By; King Onunwor
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