Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has directed the Governing Council of the Rivers State University to continue with the suspended employment exercise for academic and non-academic staff.
While inaugurating the University Students’ Union building yesterday at the school premises, Wike said he was compelled to suspend the exercise because of the negative issues that bedevilled it.
The governor said: “I suspended the process for the employment exercise due to the issues that emanated from it. The committee that I set up to investigate the process has turned in its report, and I am satisfied with the report of the committee. Therefore, I have informed the pro-Chancellor to go ahead with the employment exercise.”
Wike said unlike other leaders, he has never interfered with the admission and employment processes of any institution in the state. He said his transparent approach to administration gives him the moral power to discipline any erring official.
Also, the governor has approved the construction of an ultra-modern Senate Building for the Rivers State University. He said if the pro-Chancellor and the acting Vice Chancellor make the design available on time, the building would be completed by the first anniversary of his second term.
He called on the Students’ Union leadership to use the new facility to fight against cultism, harassment of female students and examination malpractices.
Wike urged the acting Vice-Chancellor to be firm and ensure that the university continues to move forward academically.
The Pro-Chancellor of the university, Justice Iche Ndu, said the completion of the Students’ Unions building is the sixth major project completed by Wike in the institution.
He assured the governor that the Governing Council and management of the institution would work towards making the state university a world-class institution.
Ndu appealed to students to use the new building to fight vices, saying the university should be a centre of learning.
Also, the acting Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Opuenebo, described the delivery of the building as a milestone in the annals of the students unionism.
She said: “This is a milestone in the annals of students’ unionism. It gives the students a sense of belonging as major stakeholders of the institution.”
