The Rivers State Government has extended its flood relief intervention to residents of Eneka in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, providing ?200,000 cash support to affected households and enrolling victims in the State’s health insurance scheme for one year of free healthcare.

The intervention, according to the Rivers State Deputy Governor and Chairman of the Rivers State Flood Prevention and Management Committee, Prof. Ngozi Odu, is part of the State Government’s comprehensive response to the devastating floods that affected several communities across the State.

Odu, who spoke through the Head of Service of the Rivers State Civil Service, Dr. Mrs. Inyingi Brown said the intervention was carried out on the directive of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

She stated this during  the distribution of the ?200,000 stipends to flood-affected residents of Eneka at the Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday.

According to her, the State Government had adopted a three-pronged approach to mitigate the impact of the flooding on affected residents.

She explained that the first phase involved the distribution of relief materials to affected communities, while the second phase focused on the enrolment of flood victims in the Rivers State Health Insurance Scheme, providing beneficiaries with access to free healthcare for one year.

The deputy governor said the payment of the ?200,000 stipend constituted the third phase of the intervention, noting that while the financial assistance could not replace what residents had lost, it was intended to cushion the economic hardship caused by the disaster.

She urged beneficiaries to take full advantage of the healthcare coverage provided by the State Government, saying they would be directed to designated health facilities where they could access medical treatment.

Odu also assured residents that the government was addressing some of the environmental factors responsible for the flooding.

She said officials of the Ministry of Environment were working to identify and clear blockages in waterways and drainage channels to facilitate the free flow of floodwaters.

The deputy governor further disclosed that the government was pursuing long-term measures to address the recurring flooding, expressing optimism that the current experience would not be repeated.

She assured the affected residents that Governor Fubara and the State Government shared in their pain and remained committed to finding lasting solutions to the challenges confronting flood-affected communities.

Speaking on behalf of the community, Chief Echebiri Wobidi appealed to the State Government to urgently rehabilitate and open up drainage channels in Eneka to address the recurring flooding.

He commended the deputy governor for leading the State’s flood intervention efforts and for personally visiting affected communities to assess the situation.

On her part, the wife of the Traditional Ruler of Eneka, Queen Blessing Woko, expressed appreciation to the State Government for its concern for flood victims, describing the intervention as an indication that the people had not been forgotten.

Queen Woko commended Odu’s humility and commitment, saying her visit to the community demonstrated genuine concern for the plight of the people.

Also speaking, the Youth Leader in Eneka, Mr. Gift Opurum, commended the Rivers State Government for its intervention and called for a permanent solution to the recurring flooding in the community.

He thanked the State Government for coming to the aid of affected residents, noting that the relief materials and ?200,000 cash support had provided some succour to the victims.

Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, has ranked seventh in Google Scholar Profile Submission in the 2026 Ranking of Universities.

The ranking was based on staff Google Scholar Profile submissions by various institutions.

Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Okechuku Onuchuku, disclosed this at the Senate meeting held on Wednesday at the Postgraduate Hall of the university.

Onuchuku commended academic staff whose scholarly articles and publications were cited on Google Scholar, describing their contributions as instrumental to the university’s improved visibility and ranking.

He urged them to sustain the tempo in research, publication and academic engagement.

The Vice-Chancellor also expressed appreciation to the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for approving the implementation of the agreement reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which, he said, had resulted in the new salary structure now being received by members of staff.

He further commended the IAUE ASUU Chairman, Professor Obinna Prince Ikechi, for his efforts towards ensuring the implementation of the agreement, as well as members of the University Bursary who worked to facilitate the process.

In another development, the National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved five new programmes for the university at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

The programmes include Special Needs Education, Human Kinetics and Sports Management, Environmental Management and Toxicology, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, and Cyber Security.

The approval followed the NUC’s visit to the university on September 8, to assess the readiness of the institution for the newly introduced programmes.

The Vice-Chancellor said plans were underway to appoint and announce qualified academic staff to head the new departments.

Meanwhile, the University Senate has expelled a final-year student of the Department of English and Literary Studies, over what the institution described as damaging content creation.

The Senate’s decision followed an interview by the student which went viral, during which she reportedly claimed that her project topic was “Citizenship”, although the university said there was no such topic in the Department of English and Literary Studies.

She was also reported to have claimed that her supervisor wrote the project for her.

According to the university, the Senate’s decision was intended to serve as a deterrent to other students who may engage in similar conducts capable of damaging the image of the institution.

Senate also approved the graduating results for the 2024/2025 academic session from the university’s faculties and affiliated institutions, including Peaceland University, Enugu, and the College of Education, Warri, as presented by the Postgraduate School through its Dean, Professor Helen Okujagu.

The Senate also approved the 2026/2027 academic calendar as presented by the Director of the Academic Planning Unit, Professor Joseph Kinanee.

Returning students, according to the calendar, are expected to resume on Monday, November 9, 2026, while registration for Year One students is ongoing.

Lectures are scheduled to commence for returning students on Monday, November 23, and for fresh students on Monday, November 30, with the Christmas break beginning on Friday, December 18, 2026.

Academic activities are expected to resume on Monday, January 4, 2027 after the Christmas break.

King Onunwor

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara,  has reaffirmed its commitment towards human capital development, particularly education, as a foundation for sustainable development and national progress.

Fubara gave the assurance on Tuesday while declaring open the 85^th Plenary Meeting of the Joint Consultative Committee on Education (JCCE), at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt.

The four-day plenary hosted by the State Government, brought together education policymakers, technocrats and stakeholders from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

The session, with the theme ” Infrastructural Development and Teacher Motivation: Panacea for Improved Learning Outcomes”, focused on critical issues affecting the education sector and developing policies to improve teaching and learning outcomes.

Fubara, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Education, Dr Peters Nwagor, said the meeting provided an important platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas, harmonise policies and address emerging challenges confronting the nation’s education system.

The governor said his administration placed human capital development at the centre of its governance philosophy, with deliberate investments in the construction, rehabilitation and upgrading of educational infrastructure across the state.

He, however, noted that infrastructure alone cannot guarantee meaningful educational outcomes, emphasising the need to prioritise the welfare, training and continuous professional development of teachers, whom he described as central to the success of the education system.

Quoting former South African President Nelson Mandela’s observation that education is a powerful instrument for changing society, Fubara said teachers and infrastructure must be treated as complementary components of educational development.

Acc to him, sustained investment in teachers will strengthen the entire education system.

The governor acknowledged the challenges confronting Nigeria’s education sector, including inadequate funding and infrastructure deficits, and called for stronger collaboration between the Federal and State Governments, and other stakeholders to address the problems.

He urged participants to ensure that resolutions reached at the plenary did not end as policy documents but translated into measurable improvements in classrooms, schools and the lives of teachers and learners across the country.

In his remarks, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, represented by the Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Dr Folake Olatunji-David,  commended the Rivers State Government for the hospitality and arrangements put in place to host the plenary.

Alausa highlighted Federal Government’s initiatives aimed at transforming the education sector, including the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative, Renewed Hope Energised Education Programme, Next-Generation Student Hostel Projects and the National Digital Learning Initiative, among others.

The minister urged delegates to go beyond identifying challenges and develop pragmatic and actionable recommendations on infrastructure, teacher capacity development and innovative financing.

He said that the outcome of the plenary would be consolidated and forwarded to the National Council on Education, the highest policy-making body in the sector, for consideration and further action.

Akujobi Amadi