Rivers
VC Commits To Positioning IAUE As Top Institution
Acting Vice Cahncellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, says he is committed to positioning the institution among the best in Nigeria and Africa.
Making this disclosure at a media briefing as part of events to herald the university’s 39th and 40th convocation this weekend, he said achieving such feat would be the best way to appreciate the confidence reposed in him by the State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
“The best way I can repay His Excellency’s benevolence and confidence in me is to work very hard to position IAUE among the very best tertary institutions in Nigeria and Africa”, he said.
Towards fulfillment of this stance, the Professor of Economics narrated some outstanding achievements recorded since his assumption of office on November 18, 2021.
The first among the numerous achievements was to ensure a convenient and suitable studying environment for students, beginning with a review of undergraduate and graduate programs of the university to “bring them in tandem with what obtains in other Nigerian universities and in line with global best practice”.
Next was the establishment of “a full-fledged Faculty of Agriculture”, which brought the total number of Faculties in the university to seven.
“Nobody can underestimate the importance of a Faculty of Agriculture in a State where much of our food supply comes from outside.
“As a university, we have a duty to help change this unacceptable narrative within the shortest possible time. We are putting everything necessary in place for the emergent Faculty of Agriculture to admit its pioneer students”, he stated.
The IAUE boss also instituted a review of non-statutory charges and school fees paid by all categories of students, and initiating payment of school fees in two instalments to “reflect the realities of the prevailing economic situation”, and ensured that 21 programmes of the institution get five years full accreditation by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Other achievements include: provision of classroom furniture, reactivation broken-down electricity generating sets and restoration of damaged power lines at the Ndele campus, while also commencing monthly fumigation of classrooms, offices, and residential areas in the three campuses.
To secure the university’s land from further encroachment, he rebuilt damaged fences at Rumuolumeni and Ndele campuses, expanded the estate department and provided more facilities for work, and renovated students’ hostels at the main campus.
Offices were furnished with necessary equipment to make the workplace comfortable for more efficient service, three standard kitchens were built where students could prepare their meals to discourage cooking in the hostels and eating sub-standard food prepared by vendors, and investing more in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to boost the exploration of opportunities in the growing digital economy by staff and students.
This, he said, will “make the high-impact research papers of lecturers in the university globally accessible”, and also “bridge the digital divide between the university and the rest of the world, by enhancing the institution’s visibility, ranking, and competitiveness in this age of knowledge globalisation”.
A total of 3,796 graduates would be admitted into postgraduate degrees, while 3,751 would b be awarded degrees at the undergraduate level.
The award of First Degrees and prizes will hold today, while admission of candidates into various categories of Higher Degrees will hold tomorrow, both at the University’s Auditorium.
By: Sogbeba Dokubo
The Rivers state Chief Judge, Justice SIMONE CHIBUZOR-AMADI has given an indication to sanction any lawyer who fail to comply with directive of a judge in the state to transferred a case to Rivers State Multi Door Courthouse for Alternatives Dispute Resolution.
Justice AMADI stated this during a brief ceremony held at the chief judge auditorium in port Harcourt Friday held to hand over certificates of operation to two private ADR chambers on Precarious Dispute Resolution Services and Harmony Arbitration and mediation center .
He urged the two private ADR centres to be diligent in the discharge of their duties and warned against compromising the standard of Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR but should observed the regulations set out in collaboration regulation by the state Multi Door Court House.
Earlier in a address, the Director of the State Multi Door Courthouse, VICTOR NWEKE esq, highlighted some of the achievements of the Multi Door Courthouse especially in decongestion of court rooms.
NWEKE while disclosing how the department certified the two private ADR centres called for serious punitive measures be taken against any lawyer who fail to comply with a case referred to Multi Door Court House by a judge or magistrates in the state.
In her acceptance speech on behalf of the two certified private ADR centres, ALICE NIMI commended the State Judiciary and Multi Door Courthouse for the approval and assured that all the rules and regulations spelt out will be followed.
In a related development; the Rivers State Judiciary has assured its readiness to collaborate with Nigerian Securityding Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC in using Alternative Dispute Resolution to resolve some of the issues in their office.
The state Chief Judge , Justice SIMONE CHIBUZOR-AMADI made the promise when he received in audience the Zonal Commander of NSCDC, Assistant Commandant General, AYINLA TALYE OLOWO and his team who paid him a courtesy visit in his office , Friday where issuees ADR utilization took centre stage.
He used the opportunity to brief his visitors on the hurdles judges faces daily in the court room and the need for the decongestion of the court room , stressing that one judge handle more than three hundred cases but that if lawyers and litigants adopt ADR practice court rooms can be releive of the daily congestions.
The state Chief Judge however urged NSCDC to ensure a wider sensitization of the members of the public on the practice of ADR for a better awareness and knowledge.
Earlier in his speech, the Zonal Commander of NSCDC, Assistant Commandant General, AYINLA TALYE-OLOWO said the visit was to seek collaboration on the use of ADR in resolving some issues which he insisted would help decongest the courtrooms.
Our correspondent reports officials of the Rivers State Multi Door Courthouse led by the Director, VICTOR NWEKE led the team of NSCDC on a technical session where information on how to the fully in cooperated into the Multi Door Courthouse and operation of ADR will be emphasized.
Akujobi Amadi