Wike lifts suspension of recruitment at Rivers State varsity

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has ordered the Governing Council of the Rivers State University to ahead with the employment of academic and non-academic staff, which was suspended last month.

The exercise was suspended due to some perceived irregularities and other issues that bedeviled the institution, which led to the sack of the former Vice Chancellor, Blessing Didia.

A committee was set up by the state government to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the mayhem.

However, speaking while commissioning the Students Union building yesterday at the institution, Wike expressed satisfaction with the committee’s report and directed the management to proceed with the recruitment exercise.

“I am satisfied with the committee’s report. Therefore, I have informed the Pro-Chancellor to go ahead with the employment exercise. The process of the employment exercise was suspended due to the issues that emanated from it. The committee set up to investigate the process has turned in its report,” he said.

Governor Wike said, unlike other leaders, he has never interfered with admission and employment processes of any institution in the state, adding that his transparent approach to administration gives him the moral power to discipline any erring officials.

While urging the Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Opuenebo Owei, to be firm and ensure that the university continues to move forward, he charged the Students Union Leadership to use the new facility to fight cultism, harassment of female students and examination malpractices.

Pro-Chancellor of the University, Justice Iche Ndu, said the completion of the Students Unions Building was the sixth major project completed by Governor Wike in the institution.

He assured Wike that the Governing Council and Management of the institution would work towards making the state university a world-class institution and appealed to students to use the new building to fight all forms of vices, stressing that the university should be a centre of learning and excellence.

Owei described the delivery of the building as a milestone in the annals of students’ unionism, saying: “This is a milestone in the annals of students unionism. It gives the students a sense of belonging as major stakeholders in the affairs of the university.”