This Week's Editorial - PROF. DIDIA’S DEVELOPMENTAL GIANT STRIDES IN RSUST

Professor Blessing  Chimezie Didia, a Micro-biologist was appointed an acting Vice Chancellor of the Nigeria Premier E-varsity, the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, by the state Governor Nyeso Ezebunwo Wike On September, 2015 following the expiration of tenure of office of the his predecessor, Prof. Barineme Bekee Fakae.
On assumption of office, Prof. Didia swept into action by  permanently moving into the newly  well furnished Senator Francis Ella Administrative situated in a serene environment at the entrance of the university to ensure more accommodation for staffs of the university geared towards effective administration.  In a bid to ensure effective and fruitful leadership through peace and tranquility, a peaceful administration to ensure a collective, collaborative, leadership, the Acting Vice Chancellor initiated a peace process that has led to timely reconciliation of aggrieved members of the workforce of the university such as Academic Staff Union of Universities alias (ASUU) RSUST, Senior Staff Association (SSASANU) among others. To crown the above peace initiative, a reconciliatory Church Service was held at the Universities chaplaincy, Chapel of Redemption for the university Management and its employees as well as to raise a divine altar to guide the newly installed administration. This led to a renewal of genuine commitment from the employees to support the Didia led administration in actualizing its policies for the betterment and advancement of the university while University management on its part promised to carry every one along  in its decision making and policy implementation. This as expected has yielded much positive returns as it has re-energized the university work-force leading to undeniable progress. The action of the Vice Chancellor to many was a step in the right direction as no level of progress could be attained without a peaceful environment and it has an overwhelming impact on the people as well attracted commendation within and outside the university.

In line with his earlier promise on assumption of office where he promised to complete projects inherited from his predecessor while initiating new ones, the acting vice chancellor of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, has completed such unfinished projects  and has embarked on massive development of infrastructure in the university. The projects which are scattered all around the campus is ongoing, with some already fully completed while others are at sizable stages of completion.
Equally worthy of mentioned is the ongoing renovation work at both lecture halls and Lecture Theaters at Faculties of Engineering, Management Sciences and Sciences respectively. It is worthy of mention that such large scale renovation is the first of its kind since the erection of the said buildings. With the timely renovation, the lecture halls and Theatres are now wearing a new look with modern infrastructures put in place to increase comfort of student at enhancing and improving the learning environment and academic excellence among students of the university.

Before now, one of the factors that militated against effective learning in the university was the issue of lack of lecture venues for some department. However, with ongoing construction of more lecture halls for some departments; such experience will soon be a thing of the past.
Furthermore, Prof. Blessing Didia renovated all the Halls of Residents in the university, giving them a new look while prolonged Prototype Hostel built by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has since be completed, commissioned and ready to be used to ease the pressures of accommodation for students of the university. The Hostel which has the capacity of over five hundred bed spaces will certainly raise the accommodation in the school.
In addition to this, work is at its appreciable state at the Modern Shopping Complex building designed to house over fifty business outlets with car park and other facilities that can enhance business in the university while maintaining a decent environment.
Considering the welfare of the students as paramount and uncompromisable, the Didia administration in partnership with the Students Union Government (SUG) has embarked on the renovation and expansion of the  students and visitors  eatery  popularly known as ‘BILL BUS’ , to ensure decency and quality of food sold to students by food vendors and other business operators.
Security is not left out as the vice chancellor has upgraded security apparatus for the securing of lives and properties in the university. Consequently, there has been increase in the building of security checkpoints, with most major building and location of the school having a security house and checkpoint. CCTV has equally been installed for effective security control and management, all aimed at checkmating general crimes and ensuring a peaceful and conducive atmosphere within the institution.

Other great infrastructural accomplishment of the Prof. Didia led administration include the building of Electronic Computer Lab, a practical centre for department of Computer Science, the E-librairy  and E-Language Laboratory for Department of Mass communication, the Administrative building housing three departments in Faculty of Management Science, the  near completion Marine Engineering Lecture halls and Laboratory, the reconstruction of the popular staff quarters eateries and Residential quarters with security houses to complement it , the completion of Faculty of Law building, now prided as the best Faculty of Law building in West African sub-region.
Motivation they say is a major factor to be considered for effective human management and relationship, thus, in due understanding of this concept, Prof. Blessing Didia during the yuletide celebration presented to every staff of the university a bag of rice and other ad joint condiments, this to many of the beneficiaries who haled his magnanimous gesture was unprecedented in the history of the university administration. Aside this, the acting vice chancellor has supervised the clearing of students who hitherto could not graduate through the waving of course while those whose has exceeded their study year in the university has been duly recalled to complete their program and graduate in due course. His administration has equally witnessed the promotion of staff based excellent service unlike before when it was only a matter of certificate ownership while some university staff that was disengaged before has been dually recalled to resume their service to the university with full payment.


To procure effective administration through transportation, Prof. Didia has equally doled out a number of Buses to different staff in the university such as the Public Relations Unit, the University Library, ASUU, SSANU, the University Alumni Association body who before now was as good as dead has been rejuvenated with a new edifice serving as its national secretariat, among others.
In all, one cannot but commend, the zeal, innovativeness and foresight of the current administration able led by this ingenuous administrator pee excellence, Professor Blessing Didia.
His understanding of continuity and collectiveness in governance is worthy of emulation by the political administrators, his consistency and doggedness persuasion of its policies is quit commendable.
It is widely know more or less in this part of the world to struggle to sustain good feet of their predecessor, however, prof. Didia has so far broken that edge by not only consolidating on what he met on ground, but has equally evolved new measure aimed at actualizing the university set aim and objectives in line with dreams of the founding father of the institution.
Since leadership is all about result and having produces undeniable conspicuous results in less than six months of his leadership, he is worthy of commendation, lengthy applause and  ovation.
It is however important for all and sundry to continually give him the necessary support even as we urge him not relent in his good deed aimed placing the university at its proper state as centre for excellence and creativity.

Similarly, we urge the students alike to take advantage of the new developments in the school to enhance their academic pursuit by making the best judicious use of the facilities so provided all for their individual and societal benefit and the advancement of humanity.
We further urge the students who are direct beneficiary of the new facilities to avoid damaging this new facilities even as we call the university management to put in place appropriate measures to maintain the newly installed facilities mainly, those in the class rooms, for failure to do so shall result to serious jeopardy that will short live their existence and by such, its initial purpose would have been defeated.

Further, with the growing spate of insecurity in the State, we urge the acting Vice Chancellor to revisit the security apparatus of the school in-order to curb the existing high rate of violence and criminality in the school. By so doing, we shall ensure the security of lives and properties in the university and adequately prepare a veritable ground for effective learning. We must have ever warn that failure to do so, may amount to un-imaginable consequences. However, on achieving this, we call all staff all and sundry, basically, staffs and students alike and all lovers of progress to join hands with the acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Blessing C. Didia as he continues with his good works while striving to reposition the foremost e-varsity on the part to greatness.