The management of Rivers State University (RSU), Nkpolu, Port Harcourt, has held a one-day orientation seminar for 2,650 newly admitted Postgraduate students for the 2023/2024 academic session.
The aim of the orientation was to educate and acquaint the students with the various activities, programmes, rules and protocols governing the university.
Speaking at the programme held at the Convocation Arena of the institution, recently, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Nlerum Okogbule, stressed the importance of orientation programme in every society, adding that the event was organised to let them understand how the university works.
Okogbule, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, Prof. Valentine O. Pepple, said that the orientation would afford the students the opportunity to know what the university expects from them including the rules and regulations of the institution.
The VC, while giving insight on the post graduate studies, disclosed that PhD programme is for three years, masters degree two years, while PGD is run for one year except for engineering courses that are for two years.
He urged them to be good students and take their studies very serious in order to enable them graduate at the approved year of their courses of studies even as he congratulated them for their successful admission.
Also speaking at the event, the Dean, Post Graduate Studies, Prof. Tamunomi Kingdom Abam, said that the orientation became imperative because many of the students were new comers from other institutions hence, the need to acquaint them with the operations of the institution.
He urged them to be focused with their studies even as they engage with their supervisors and try not to forget the reasons why they are in the university.
“Some came for carrier enhancement, some for change of programmes and some because they have a challenge they want to investigate and we pray they achieve it.
“It is achievable because we have been in the field for many years and we know where the pains and hurdles are, and that informed the orientation to make the road very easy so that they can not make the mistakes of others in the past”, he stated.
Our correspondent reports that the students were drilled on various topics which include university administration procedures, school fees payment and procedures, students welfare, security tips in the campus, zero tolerance on sexual harassment and post graduate registration and related matters, among others.

Akujobi Amadi

In a controversial twist of events in the political crisis in Rivers State, it has been reported that an internal strife has engulfed the camp of former Governor of the State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike.
The Tide gathered from a source close to the lawmakers that they said the FCT Minister manoeuvered them into taking a drastic decision for their personal interest, saying he misled them.
However, it was learnt that the crux of their grievance lies in Wike’s directive for them to join the All Progressives Congress (APC), a move they claimed he spearheaded without following due process.
The aggrieved sacked Assembly members, branded as illegal due to unresolved legal disputes surrounding their positions, have openly accused Wike of political betrayal.
According to their statements, this directive from Wike has “left them politically handicapped, irrevalant, exposed and vulnerable”, as they now face backlash without the promised support.
This development, our correspondent gathered, has sparked a significant rift within the political structure of Nyesom Wike.
Analysts are already saying that this impending political crisis could reshape the dynamics between the FCT Minister and the sacked Assembly members, leading to potential realignments and power shifts.
Pundits have said as the situation unfolds, the implications for both the FCT Minister and the broader political hope of the sacked Rivers Assembly members remains uncertain.
They said the fallout may challenge Wike’s political strategy and influence, while also testing the peace and stability of the factional All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State led by Chief Tony Okocha, highly believed to be one of Wike’s political stooge.
It is becoming apparent that in the coming days, all eyes will be on how these internal conflicts will be managed and whether any reconciliation or further fragmentation would occur.

Bethel Toby

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has called on mothers, especially pregnant women, to treat malaria as a dreaded scourge that must be nipped in the bud.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, NDDC, Mr Samuel Ogbuku, gave this advice during the celebration of the 2024 World Malaria Day at Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State at the weekend.
Although the World Malaria Day is internationally celebrated on every 25th of April, the NDDC boss said the commission decided to celebrate the event in Ogu/Bolo LGA a month later in order to create awareness and drum support against the dreaded scourge.
Ogbuku, who was represented by Dr Asela Agala, stressed the need for the people of Ogu/Bolo to take good advantage of the awareness and malaria drugs given to them.
He said that the Ogu/Bolo World Malaria Day celebration was in collaboration with the former NDDC director, Boma Iyalla, with a view to bringing malaria treatment to his people.
Also speaking, a lecturer in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH), Dr George Ela, highlighted some precautionary measures to be taken by pregnant women against malaria.
According to him, “pregnant women must sleep under insecticide mosquito treated nets; they must take preventive therapy also known as intermittent therapy for malaria which is done with the use of sulphurous paramintamin, that is the drug commonly known as Fansidar. This is giving once every four weeks to pregnant women within their first four months of pregnancy until they deliver.”
Dr Ela further advised pregnant women who were tested positive of malaria by the team of doctors deployed to Ogu/Bolo to get proper malaria treatment, warning that malaria not properly treated can cause a lot of harm to pregnant women.
“Those who actually come down with malaria must go and receive treatment, they must go to the hospital and be properly treated because sometimes malaria can cause miscarriage, death of the baby inside the womb, because the immunity of pregnant women is lower, so they are very vulnerable to malaria attacks. That is why they must do everything possible to prevent malaria by treating it under special medical supervision”, he advised.
The lecturer added that non-pregnant women also need all the measures mentioned against malaria, saying environmental sanitation is also key to healthy living.
“People must avoid throwing waste inside drainages to enable the drainage system flow easily. Our environment must be kept clean as dirty environment makes it possible for you to have water receptacles where mosquitoes breed and then go into people’s houses to bite them and transmit the mosquito germs.”, he warned.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to our correspondent commended the NDDC and Iyalla for the awareness and free treatment.
They noted that the awareness and free diagnosis of many women by the NDDC has made many of them to know their malaria status.

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana