Wike bags doctorate degree, donates N1bn to varsity

Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has been conferred with the Honorary Doctor of Law Degree (Honoris Causa) by the Rivers State University (RSU).The Governor, who donated N1bn to the school, called for a change in the educational standard insisting that the RSU must benchmark its academic programmes to meet global demands.

Wike, who spoke in Port Harcourt at the 34th Convocation of RSU on Saturday in Port Harcourt, said his administration had invested funds generously to improve infrastructure in the school and establish faculties particularly the College of Medical Sciences.

Wike recalled that at the inception of his administration, he constituted the Governing Council of the institution and charged them to develop the blueprint that would engender sustainable transformation in the university.

He explained that his administration also resolved the lingering strike of the academic staff and recalled the staff unjustly dismissed for union activities by the previous government.

The Governor said the action he took within his first two weeks in office restored industrial harmony to the institution.

"Third, we immediately started tackling the university's infrastructural challenges one after the other. We completed, furnished and commissioned the long-abandoned faculty of law complex within our first 100 days in office."

Wike also stated that his administration completed the faculty of Management Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technical Education, and Faculty of Environment Sciences within the second year of his administration.

The Governor said he started and completed the Senate Building in his third year in office, and the College of Medical Sciences buildings in his fourth year in office

He said: "We also built the Basic Clinical Science and the department of Clinical Sciences buildings, which were commissioned last week as components of the Medical College. We then transformed the former Braithwaite Memorial Hospital into the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital with the state of the art equipment."

Wike remarked that the relatively new College of Medical Sciences of the University was on its way to becoming one of the country’s best medical schools as declared by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.

The Governor recalled the review of the enabling law of the institution so it would reflect the multi-disciplinary structure and implement an enhanced salary structure for the university staff.

Wike said his administration also restored the multi-campus structure of the university that was cancelled by the military adding that the campuses are located in Ahoada,(East) Emohua, Etche, Sapkenwa; (Tai) Local Government Areas, fully equipped with faculty and administrative buildings, staff quarters and will commence academic activities soon.

He said: "A few weeks ago, we authorised the management to engage 1355 new academic and non-academic staff to resolve the staff shortfalls occasioned by retirements, resignations, and the establishment of new academic departments and centres."

Wike said as the Visitor to the institution, he was satisfied with what had been accomplished with his administration's investments over the last seven and half years.

"No doubt, the billions we have invested have significantly advanced this university in infrastructure, growth and prestige and empowered it with the capacity to produce the kind of graduates that we need to serve our State and country with character, commitment and responsibility", he said.

With all these investment, Wike insisted that the university management must move the institution away from the existing academic model of processing graduates in their numbers after every four or five years, unmindful of the quality of knowledge and skills imparted.

The Governor maintained that RSU would not be rated high and respected globally unless it could link education with cutting-edge research to create new knowledge and innovation that converts ideas into wealth creation, jobs and human progress.

He said: "Graduates lacking adequate knowledge, dexterity and self-transformation cannot be helpful to society, nor will they be useful to themselves.

"Money spent on such graduates may have also been wasted as they will remain socio-economic burdens to their families, friends and community."

Wike said N1bn donation to RSU was to enable the management cater for the needs of the multi-campuses.

He commended the management of the university for conferring on the Doctor of Laws (LL.D) Honoris Causa on him for his services to the university, the State and the nation.

The Vice-Chancellor of RSU, Prof. Nlerum Okogbule said the week long 34th convocation of the university has a total of 3314 students awarded the Bachelor's degree, and 4982 students awarded the post-graduate degree.

Okogbule explained that governor Wike was honoured with the Honorary Doctor of Law Degree LL.D(Honoris Causa) because of the numerous levels of support his administration gave to the university.

Ondomind 

Jubilation as Sanwo-Olu slashes Varsities tuition fee

Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been praised for slashing the tuition for pioneer students of the Lagos State University of Education (LASUED) Ijanikin/Epe, and Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH) Ikorodu, by 65 percent.Management of the two varsities had proposed tuition of N195,000 for their pioneer students before Sanwo-Olu slashed it to N68,000.

A statement by the Governor's Special Adviser on Education, Tokunbo Wahab, said the Sanwo-Olu administration will continue to give necessary support to the two universities and work towards making them one of the best in the country.

The Adeboruwa of Igbogbo Kingdom, Oba Abdul-Semiu Kasali, described the tuition slash as a big relief as more parents would be able to send their children to acquire a university education.

Baale of Parafa in Ikorodu Local Government Area Chief Jamiu Odusanya described the Governor's gesture as welcome development.

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Dr D.K. Olukoya appointed as Professor of Biotechnology

Dr Daniel Kolawole Olukoya, the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries and Chancellor of Mountain Top University has been appointed as Professor of Biotechnology by one of Nigeria's top Universities.This is the result of the positive consideration by relevant review Committees and Council of the University following the assessments of his publications by some of the world’s best scholars in Biotechnology, each of whom found him to be eminently appointable as Professor of Biotechnology.

It needs to be underscored that this appointment is indeed well-deserved by Prof. D. K. Olukoya, who is an epitome of all-round excellence.

He bagged a first-class honours degree in Microbiology from the University of Lagos in 1980. He obtained his doctoral degree (Ph.D) at a record time in Molecular Genetics, from the prestigious University of Reading in the United Kingdom, in 1984. Thereafter, he taught Genetics at the University of Lagos and was an external examiner to a number of Universities in and outside Nigeria. He also engaged himself as a distinguished researcher and exceptional Geneticist at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research between 1984 and 1998, during which he produced more than 70 scientific publications in the best local and international journals in the area of Microbiology and Biotechnology. He has also been cited more than a thousand times by scholars across the world.

Not only has the new Professor of Biotechnology cut a niche for himself among eminent scholars in Microbiology and Biotechnology across the world, he had equally supervised many postgraduate students and continues to serve as a mentor and motivator to many Nigerian Microbiologists and Biotechnologists, many of whom have risen to professorial cadres in Universities in and outside Nigeria.

It needs to be mentioned that Prof. D. K. Olukoya was severally offered this position in 1990s, by many Universities. But, he chose to pursue his ministerial destiny, as directed by God.

The authorities, members and friends of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, across the world, heartily congratulate our leader and mentor, Prof. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya, on his very eminently deserved appointment as a Professor of Biotechnology.

Ondomind 

FG Unveils New Curriculum For Varsity Education

The Federal Government has introduced a new curriculum for university Education in the country to “reflect 21st-century realities”.Ondomind reports that the new curriculum unbundled the Bachelor of Agriculture, Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication and the Bachelor of Architecture Programmed while establishing some emerging specialisations in these fields as obtained Worldwide.

The Allied Health Sciences was also carved out as a new discipline from the existing Basic Medical Sciences discipline.

Speaking at the unveiling of the new curriculum on Monday in Abuja, the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo said the development was part of an effort to make university education more responsive to the needs of society.

Professor Osinbajo who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, said the introduction of the “Core Curriculum and Minimum Standard to university education” also addresses local issues, meet international standards and “uplifts scholarship in our universities”.

The Vice President commended the National Universities Commission (NUC) for the unbundling of such disciplines as Agriculture and the emergence of three courses, namely, Allied Health Sciences, Architecture and Communication as well as the media services, the three new courses in Nigerian Universities.

He said the new document has truly taken cognisance of the need to provide greater academic autonomy to universities with regard to the development of some percentage of course content.

He therefore, recommended the NUC of the decision to share the minimum credit unit required for graduation in the Nigerian university in the ratio of 70 to 30 percent. Saying it will further create institutional peculiarity.

Professor Osinbajo also applauded the foresight of other disciplines, like agriculture and the emergence of three new disciplines in the Nigerian university system, such as allied health sciences, architecture and communication as well as media studies.

Earlier, Tlthe Executive Secretary, National University Commission, Professor Abubakar Rasheed said in keeping with its mandate of making university education in Nigeria more responsive to the needs of society, NUC commenced the journey to restructure the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) in 2018, introducing in its place the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS), to re-examine existing and introduce new disciplines and programmes in the Nigerian University System.

He explained that the new CCMAS is a product of sustained stakeholder interactions over two years, adding that the composition of each panel took into consideration the triple helix model, as a unique feature.

“This involved a blend of academic experts, academies, the government represented by NUC, professional bodies and of course, the private sector, represented by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).

“In order to enrich the draft documents, copies of each discipline were forwarded to all critical stakeholders including the relevant academic units in Nigerian Universities, the private sector, professional bodies and the academies for their input.

He further said “These inputs, along with the curriculum of programmes obtained from some foreign and renowned universities, served as major working materials for the various panels constituted for that purpose.”

NUC explained that the CCMAS documents are uniquely structured to provide for 70% of core courses for each programme while allowing universities to utilise the remaining 30% for other innovative courses in their particular areas of focus.

Ondomind

Road to 2023: Tinubu Promises To Recruit More Teachers, Give Student Loans

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu has promised to recruit more teachers and also give student loans as part of efforts to develop the education sector and also build the youth capacity.Tinubu made the promise at the British Royal Institute in London.

“Youths are the greatest asset of tomorrow,” Tinubu said in Chatham House while fielding questions from participants at the event, adding that they will be part of his “all-inclusive” government, pointing to the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

“The education system is to change. We would overhaul it and tinker with some areas with the philosophy that no one would be left behind. There will be student loans for all. We are going to reform the Almajiri system, We are equally going to build more schools, recruit more teachers and train them,” the former Lagos State governor said.

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LAUTECH Students' Union Praises Makinde for Suspending No Tuition, No Exam Policy

The Oyo State Governor, Oluwaseyi Makinde, has suspended the policy which prevents tuition defaulters from participating in examinations at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH.

This is a sequel to the plea made by the Students’ Union Government of the institution to Governor Makinde on Thursday, for an intervention in the policy which has made a lot of indigent students have extra semesters on campus.

Speaking via his official Twitter handle, the President of the Students’ Union Government, Anuoluwa Adeboye noted that the governor through the Governing Council Chairman of the institution has suspended the No Tuition, No Exam Policy.

He said: “We are glad to inform the students & general populace that the University Management has received the directive from her visitor, H. E. ‘Seyi Makinde through the Governing Council Chairman to suspend the No Tuition, No Exam Policy. All students are now eligible to write the exam.

“We want to appreciate Oyo State Governor, H. E. ‘Seyi Makinde for swiftly responding to our appeal and granting it immediate approval. This has once again proven to all students that you are our God’s sent, deserving authority, and advocate of education for all in Oyo State.

“While we continue to work on Make-up examinations for those who have missed the previous examinations, we want to urge all students to make use of this golden opportunity to study hard, sit for exams, and excel. We wish you all success in your examinations”, he added.

Ondomind 

Brain drain results from Insecurity, dearth of Requisite equipment in Nigeria -Wike

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has identified the intractable insecurity situation in Nigeria as one reason why most professionals leave the shores of the country in droves for greener pastures.Governor Wike spoke on the cause of brain drain at the inauguration of the Renal/Dialysis Centre and House Officers Quarters at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

The Rivers State governor maintained that welfare of doctors and other professionals are not primarily the sole reasons for brain drain in the country. He noted that because of the looming unemployment situation in the country, most people now opt going outside of Nigeria for the dream job they required.

Even when some of professionals are employed within Nigeria, governor Wike insisted that such persons are not provided with the requisite equipment to use in their various organisations and industries.

"When you talk about brain drain, it is not only associated with the medical profession. So many people leave this country because of unemployment. So many people have left this country because of insecurity. So many people have left this country because where they work the equipment is not there.

"It is not only just because of welfare, that is why you see brain drain, no. It is not correct. Even professors in the university in the various faculties of law, faculties of engineering most of them leave because the tools to work are not there.

“But you are lucky you (RSUTH staff) have the tools here. So, clap for us first that we have provided the basic things. Today, you're lucky, you're working in a teaching hospital where you can find the equipment, at least, to make your job easier for you. So, it is not as bad as where the equipment are not there."

Governor Wike reiterated that it was out of grateful heart that he thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the release of 13% derivative fund arrears, from 1999 to date, that was never paid by previous administration to States in Niger Delta.

He wondered why saying thank you is an offense and a particular governor feels offended over the thank you said to President Buhari over the release.

The said governor, according to governor Wike had gone in national television to say that money spent to do a 3km road in his State would be used to construct more than 15 flyovers elsewhere.

“Simply because I said you people should thank President Muhammadu Buhari for releasing 13 percent arrears to us. I did not abuse anybody. Did I? All I said is please thank him, that if he did not release this arrears to me and some of our states, it may have been difficult for me to even talk about building a Renal Centre, Cancer and Cardiovascular centre, Basic and Clinical Sciences faculty, House officers quarters. I don’t think saying thank you is an offence.

"On television, I heard one of the governors said in his state to do 3 kilometre road will do more than 15 flyovers. Rivers State, is it not Niger Delta State? Don't we have riverine areas in Rivers State? Amayanabo of Opobo said since he was born, he has never driven by road to Opobo.

"The day he drive by road to Opobo, he said, God is it possible that in my own time I will not go through the river again, I am now driving by road to Opobo. That is a major riverine area. By the grace of God this December (2022) we are going to commission the first phase of Trans-Kalabari Road. That is a major riverine area.

Speaking further, governor said, "I didn't know that people are sick about the flyovers I do. Okay, sorry. I don't want you to be sick again. I won't do again. Instead of you to appreciate and ask somebody how are you doing this, and justify what you're doing.

"I have turned the state capital around using a major construction firm like Julius Berger Nigeria PLC. If you know you have the capacity, if you know you have what it takes go and take Julius Berger and see whether you can pay salary."

Governor Wike pointed to how determined he was in creating the space for medical education that led to the establishment of medical college at the Rivers State University (RSU), which hitherto was not in existence before he assumed office.

"To tell you it is not just flyovers, look at the health sector alone. As at the time we came, this State had no medical college, only the University of Port Harcourt had, and you see how competitive being a federal university. How many of our people get admission to read medicine and other related courses."

About a 100 students of Rivers origin, he informed, at the PAMO university of medical sciences are also placed on State government scholarship, and who upon graduation, are to gain automatic employment into government establishment.

Governor Wike said while equipment are provided, and medical facilities upgraded, the manpower gap is also being filled.

The governor maintained that the current congestion that is experienced at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) is being addressed.

He explained that in the coming days, the Gynecology department will move to the Mother and Child Hospital and other departments moving to their dedicated facilities like the Maxillofacial and Kersely Harrison Hospital.

Speaking on the projects, Governor Wike urged Nigerians to seek medical assistance from the Renal/dialysis Centre because it has the best equipment and personnel to offer requisite services.

There is already an ongoing arrangement, governor Wike hinted, towards an effective management of the centre to ensure sustainability.

Governor Wike also advise the house officers to imbibe maintenance culture so that they can always keep the quarters clean and maintain the structure.

In his speech, Chief Medical Director of Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Friday Aaron said the two projects inaugurated are signature of the genuine love of governor Wike for the State.

Dr. Aaron recalled that the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) was already constructing a Renal Dialysis Unit and governor Wike noticed that if allowed in its form, will be limited in the service it will offer.

The CMD said governor Wike directed an expansion of the unit into a world class centre that will diagnose renal cases, perform dialysis and do transplant of kidney. This, he said is because the governor believes that Rivers people deserve the best.

In his address, commissioner for health, Prof. Princewill Chike said the Renal Centre is one of the best in Nigeria that has been provided by governor Wike for his love for the health sector.

The centre, he pointed out, is a one storey building that has lift that can take 13 person per time.

According to him, there are also doctors and nurses call rooms, water treatment unit, and a 6bed space dialysis area.

Prof. Chike also informed that on the first floor, there are two theatres, one is for where kidney donor and recipient are kept, with equipment to ensure the marching of the kidney.

He said the second theatre is where the transplanting of the kidney is done and the situation properly monitored.

Prof. Chike said there is 100kv standby generating set and 30kva inverter with 6 solar plates to ensure regular power supply.

The chairman, Nigeria Medical Association, Dr. Ebi Robinson commended governor Wike for building the Renal centre and equipping it with latest state of the art medical equipment that will enhance the productivity of doctors in the hospital.

Ondomind

Pupils to be Taught In Mother tongue as FEC Approves National Language Policy

"One of the highlights is that the government has agreed now that henceforth, instruction in primary schools; the first six years of learning will be in the mother tongue.” - Minister Adamu Adamu.The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a National Language Policy for use in all primary schools across the country. RukotoTV reports.

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, made this known to State House correspondents at the end of the Council’s meeting which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said: “A memo on national policy was approved by the council. So, Nigeria now has a National Language Policy and the details will be given later by the ministry.

“One of the highlights is that the government has agreed now that henceforth, instruction in primary schools; the first six years of learning will be in the mother tongue.”

RukotoTV reports that the minister indicated that the decision is only in principle for now because it will require a lot of work to implement it.

“Theoretically, this policy starts from today but the use of mother tongue is exclusive but we need time to develop the material, get the teachers and so on.

”Since the first six years of school should be in the mother tongue. Whereby the pupil is, the language of the host community is what will be used.

“Because we have 625 languages at the last count and the objective of this policy is to promote, and enhance the cultivation and use of all Nigerian languages,” he added.

The Minister of Education Adamu further revealed that the council approved a consultancy services agreement between the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and a private company, for the upgrade of the portal on which the Board records candidates seeking admission into higher institutions of learning.

Ondomind

NANS Apologises To Aisha Buhari Over Aminu Mohammed's Arrest

The National Association of Nigerian Students has apologised to Aisha Buhari, wife of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), over the arrest of a student of the Federal University, Dutse Jigawa, Aminu Mohammed, by the Nigeria Police.

Condemnations had trailed the reported arrest of Mohammed over a tweet on the First Lady. Notable Nigerians including social activist, Aisha Yesufu, knocked Aisha for allegedly using her power against the student.

While initial reports were that Mohammed was arrested by the Department of State Services, NANS revealed that he was rather arrested by the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, who traced Mohammed to Jigawa where he was picked up.

NANS in a statement on Tuesday by its President, Usman Barambu, apologised on behalf of the Nigerian students to the First Lady, while also calling for Mohammed’s release.

“The leadership of NANS received with concern the news of the unlawful arrest of Mohammed by the Nigeria Police on the instruction of Aisha Buhari. Upon receiving the news, I, Mohammed’s family and friends swung into action to trace the whereabouts of Mohammed. After some days of searching, we got the information that he was at the police unit in Wuse Zone 2. I met with Mohammed at the police custody.

“It was alleged that Mohammed some weeks back posted Aisha Buhari’s picture on Twitter with the caption “Su mama anchi kudin talakawa an koshi” (translated from Hausa to ‘the mother has gotten fatter by eating masses’ money’).“Just like the normal way angry citizens have different ways of expression on the social media. On November 18, 2022, the police from Abuja tracked Mohammed to the Federal University Dutse and picked him without any written/verbal invitation or informing the school management or his family,” Barambu narrated.

The NANS President said Mohammed was taken straight to the Presidential Villa where he was allegedly brutalised, beaten, maltreated and humiliated by the police “on the orders of Aisha Buhari, after which he was unlawfully detained at a police facility at Wuse Zone II till date. I, alongside our team of lawyers, met with Mohammed at the police facility where he confirmed the incident to me. Until now, Mohammed has not been arraigned by any competent court of law or granted bail by the police.”

“We want to, on behalf of all the Nigerian students, tender our unreserved apology to the First Lady Aisha Buhari, for the action of Mohammed which might have caused her and her family pains. However, as leaders and public office holders, we must overlook some criticisms if we want to really forge ahead and do the right thing,” Barambu said.

Ondomind 

ASUU Threatens Fresh Crisis Over No Work No Pay

Academic Staff Union of Nigeria Universities (ASUU) has alerted Nigerians about a fresh crisis it claimed would surpass all previous ones in Nigerian universities.To this end, ASUU sought intervention of stakeholders and well meaning Nigerians to prevail on the federal government to pay members across the country their withheld eight months salaries.

He said, “Though we have resumed work in our university, government’s ignoble stance of withholding our eight months’ salaries based on its ill-advised policy of ‘No work, No Pay’ is set to trigger fresh crisis.

“In the coming days, the union would respond by considering to invoke the ‘No Pay, No work’ policy and would abandon the works that have accumulated for those period which government has falsely claimed, through Chris Ngige, that our members have not worked.”

He said members of the public are “put on notice again that a fresh crisis, which would surpass all previous ones, is looming in Nigerian universities, saying the union members would not continue to do free work.

He added, “Our union and its members should not be held responsible for the consequences that its actions, in response to the crude wickedness of the Nigerian state, would have on all stakeholders.

“As a law-abiding union, we have heeded the directive of the court which directed that we resume to our duty posts while the substantive matter is being heard. However, after resumption from strike and to our utmost dismay, government decided, that half salaries be paid to our members for the month of October, 2022. This development is unacceptable and would be resisted by our union.

ASUU insisted that “The fact is that academics are not casual workers. Only casual workers receive pay prorate”

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