Wike commissions RSU Senate Building
…Rejects NGF/JUSUN Agreement
Barth Ndubuwah,Port Harcourt
The much awaited commissioning of the Senate building of the Rivers State University (RSU) was Saturday performed by the Rivers State Governor, Barr. Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt.
In his speech at the event, the governor thanked the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Nlerum Okogbule and the Pro-Chancellor, Justice Ichie Ndu Rtd. for showing capacity in their duties, which he said necessitated the award and completion of the Senate building project.
Wike said the proposed three new campuses of the University will bring about economic development and more employment opportunities to the state.
He said all these feats were made possible because of the harmonious relationship that exist between the VC and the Governing Council,noting that he has never regretted the appointment of the VC and Pro-Chancellor.
He however took a swipe on Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) for entering into agreement with Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) on behalf of the governors without their consent. He swore not to honour such agreement.
Wike reiterated that he has invoked no-work-no-pay policy on JUSUN members to make good his threat with effect from June, 2021.
“Governors’ Forum is not a Government. It is an association of Governors to share ideas and not to sign agreement on behalf of State governments. Even when they say something, I will have to come back to the State and call State Executive Council meeting, and we will take it as our resolution that this is what we are going to do. So, whatever they have signed with JUSUN, let me tell you people , it is not binding on Rivers State government,” Wike emphasized.
The governor equally insisted that he has implemented autonomy for judiciary workers before now and therefore there was no need for the strike.
In his remarks, the VC, Prof Nlerum Okogbule commended the governor for his kind gesture in constructing a Senate building for RSU, a feat he said has never been done in the history of the school.
He specially thanked Wike as an alumnus of the school for remembering his alma mata upon becoming a governor and urged others to borrow a leaf from him.
While thanking Wike for increasing their salaries,the VC appealed to him to consider providing accommodation for staff of the university.
Governor Wike also performed the ground breaking ceremony of the construction of the Medical Sciences Building as part of his two year in office in the second segment of his last tenure.
