President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of the Governing Council and principal officers for the newly established Federal University of Environment and Technology, Koroma/Saakpenwa, located in Ogoni, Rivers State.
Professor Don Mon Baridam, an academic from the South-South region with expertise in organisational behaviour, has been named Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council. Baridam previously lectured at the University of Port Harcourt.
Also appointed is Professor Chinedu Mmom, another South-South scholar and former Rivers State Commissioner for Education. Mmom, who teaches in the Department of Geography and Environmental Management at the University of Port Harcourt, will serve as Vice-Chancellor.
The appointments come as the university prepares to receive its first cohort of students in September 2025. The establishment of the institution is part of a broader initiative by the federal government to expand educational opportunities in environmental and technological disciplines, particularly within the Niger Delta.
In line with federal character provisions, President Tinubu has also named four additional members to the university’s Governing Council. They are Mr Emmanuel Onoja (North Central), Mr Hamid Adekunle (South West), Professor Chima Oji (South East), and Alhaji Abdullahi Magaji Lamda (North West).
Further appointments include Dr Mpigi Monday Douglas from the South-South as Registrar, Zoryii Josco Nwaimanie from the North Central as Bursar, and Dr Saghanen Ntogo G. B., also from the South-South, as University Librarian.
President Tinubu signed the law establishing the Federal University of Environment and Technology on 3 February 2025. The institution is expected to become a vital centre for environmental research, sustainable development, and skilled manpower training in the oil-producing region.
