From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Governor Nyesom Wike has announced the release of N16.6 billion for the upgrade of facilities at the Rivers State University.
Of the amount, N6 billion would serve as take-off grant for three new campuses of the university at Ahoada, Emohua and Etche.
Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, announced this at a press briefing with commissioners of Education and Health, professors Kaniye Ebeku and Princewill Chike respectively, in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Nsirim said each of the three campuses was allocated N3 billion to cater for faculty building, hostels, offices, libraries, auditorium, lecture halls and other relevant requirements that would make the campuses function effectively.
He also disclosed that N7.6 billion had been released for the College of Medical Sciences of the university to establish the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Clinical Sciences and a pathology building.
“With the establishment of the three new campuses, the communities where they are sited will be opened up for consequential development and economic activities. This is in addition to creating employment that will reduce the rate of unemployment in the state. We are proud to share with you this good news coming at the time when governance has been grounded in most of parts of the world because of COVID-19. “The latest development will assist to reduce the gaps in the doctor to patient ratio in the state and country. We are confident that in the next few years, Rivers State will play a major role in producing medical manpower in the training of doctors,” Nsirim said.
Commissioners of Education and Health, Ebeku and Chike respectively, commended Governor Wike for his commitment to improving the education and health sectors in the state.
