Education
Don Wants Rehabilitation Centres In Rivers
In a bid to ameliorate the adverse effects of crude oil pollution activities on crop farms, relevant stakeholders have been urged to establish comprehensive scientific rehabilitation programme centres in Rivers State.
Speaking during the 47th inaugural lecture series of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, recently, titled: ‘Crude Oil Pollution, Crop Production and Farmers’ Welfare In Rivers State’, the inaugural guest lecturer, and Professor of Agricultural Production and Environmental Economics, Prof ThankGod Peter Ojimba stressed the need to establish rehabilitation centres in the State.
Ojimba while describing the inaugural lecture as apt, added that establishing such rehabilitation centres in the State would go a long way in addressing crude oil pollution as well its negative effects on crops.
He explained that the acquisition of crop farms from peasant farmers in Rivers State for crude oil exploration, exploitation and production activities has deprived crop farmers of tangible areas of land, resulting to loss of farmlands and output, hence, impoverishing the peasant crop farmers.
The Professor emphasised that the inadequate pattern of handling oil pollution issues by multinational oil companies in the State had caused more hardship on crop farmers than blessings.
Ojimba added that there is need to intensify the dissemination of benefits, from rehabilitation programmes as well as educating crop farmers on best practices and functional measures to adopt in case of unavoidable crude spillage.
He said commensurate fine should be paid to owners of farmlands without delay or denial, adding that this would help these farmers look for alternative means of livelihood instead of dying in abject poverty as a result of the oil spill.
“Adequate list of all farmlands affected by crude oil pollution should be compiled and commensurate amount of compensations paid by oil companies responsible for the acquisition of land affected to the owners of such farmlands promptly in line with economic trends in the country after the correct evaluation of land and crop areas lost have been ascertained by experts.
“If compensations are paid promptly to farmers affected by crude oil pollution, they will seek alternative means of livelihood by diversifying their resources and sources of income to seek for greater off-farm income.
“This would in turn create less dependency on crop farming in crude oil pollution-prone areas will help reduce the tension, conflicts, violence, protests poverty and hardship, agitation of resource control between the host communities and the multinational oil companies and the government, among others,” he said.
He recommended that educating farmers on best practices as well as functional measures to adopt whenever oil spillage occurs would help in protecting farm crops against crude oil pollution.
On his part, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku stated that oil production and hydrocarbon activities in the society had actually increased the poverty level of the people.
Onuchuku explained that the inaugural guest lecturer had presented an empirical view of developing a model that would address the crude oil pollution using crop production as a dependent variable and crude oil production as an expiring variable.
“The result shows very clearly that crude oil production has actually affected our crop production negatively because of its negative impact on farmlands and aquatic life.
“You know, when there is oil spill, you will find aquatic life very difficult as the fishes which is our food and a major source of income will die, thereby bringing untold hardship on the people in the State,” Vice Chancellor said.
By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
The 11th Global President of the Rivers state University Alumni Association (RSUAA), Dr. Marry- Ann Perekebina has praised the Obarijima Waite’s led Postgraduate Students Association(PGA), describing his tenure as ” visionary, transparent and worthy of emulation.
Dr. Perekebina , who spoke with journalists at the sideline of the commissioning of projects embarked by Obarijima Waite’s administration in Port Harcourt, eulogises him for leading a purposeful administration – characterised with team work, love and result.
She maintained, that Obarijima Waite’s have led a purposeful administration that touches on cole values expected of any leader,adding that he has embarked on several projects that will have direct bearing in the lives of PGA students who will make use of the facilities.
“I think it’s worthy of emulation and recognition and he deserves all the accolades. He is a transformational leader who believes in carrying everyone along.” she said.
Also speaking at the sideline, a Postgraduate student of Law and Diplomacy, Edward Olaka, equally lauded the President of PGA, Obarijima Waite, for his visionary and outstanding leadership style, and describing him as “a Square peg in a Square hole”
According to him, the performance of the incumbent President and his team will throw a huge challenge to his successor’s, stressing that their administration will be used as a yardstick to measure whoever that would be coming after them, describing his performance as a commitment and testimony to hard-work built on the fear God.
” This is the handiwork of God, because it is said that when the righteous rules, the people rejoice.”
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) is set to establish a Driving Training Centre at the University of Port Harcourt, to be domiciled at the Centre for Logistics and Transport Studies, NEMA House.
A team from the FRSC National Headquarters visited the University on Friday, September 12, 2025, to inspect proposed facilities in line with the Driving School Standardization Programme (DSSP) mandatory requirements.
Speaking at the end of the inspection, Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, represented by the Head of Driving School, Mr. Sunday Attah, expressed satisfaction with the standard of facilities available at the institution. He commended the University for its readiness to host the pilot scheme, noting that the Centre will be replicated in other parts of the country in due course.
Earlier, during a courtesy visit to the University Management, the Corps Marshal explained that UniPort was selected to host the pilot project because of its strategic importance to the nation.
Responding, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Owunari Abraham Georgewill, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Professor Chukwudi Onyeaso, welcomed the initiative and assured that the University remains open to partnerships that will promote academic excellence and national development.
A scholar and the 119 Inaugural lecturer at the Rivers state University, Prof.Chukwu Sancho Nwobuisi has called on political leaders across the world and Nigeria in particular to be transparent, accountable and lead with the fear of God, bearing in mind that when we depart the earth, we shall take home nothing, except the spirit who shall return back to the maker to give account of how we lived our lives.
Speaking to Journalists shortly after delivering his inaugural lecture on Wednesday in port Harcourt with the topic: ” War and The Dynamics of Ehianomics Economy The Nigerian Experience Who Are The Losers”, called on political leaders and those at the position of trust to think outside the box if they truly want the Nigeria to be great again.
He explained that the topic of the lecture basically is about social ills and how to correct the false narrative affects the system, while maintaining that the system has worsen to the point that the future of our younger generation now in dire danger, due to unemployment ,poor infrastructure,poor healthcare and everyone looking for a means to see ends meet.
The Frontline scholar,regretted that agriculture that used to be the economy main stay of the country is now downgraded due to over dependent on oil revenue, hence the unfortunate social and political crisis found daily in our communities.
” The study looks at the effect, influence and what affects the economy of the nation and how our mindset can change from over dependent on oil”
Prof. Nwobuisi, who didn’t mince words about corruption, maintained that corruption remains a serious challenge that the government needs to mitigate by the institutions saddled with the responsibility to pull the nation out of the menace.
” The way forward is that the nation’s anti-graft agencies must be strengthen to look around us especially on the invasion by the so called Yahoo boys.” Prof. Chukwu said.
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