By Oscar Kambona
The Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University, Prof Blessing Chimezie Didia, has been relieved of his appointment.
Also affected in the sack exercise was the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Professor Magnus Oruwari.
Accordingly, Didia has been replaced with Professor Opuenebo B. Owei, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) as the Acting Vice Chancellor of the university.
Also, the on-going employment exercise has been suspended, just as a committee had been set up to investigate the employment exercise and report to the Governor in two weeks.
The news was contained in a statement signed by Dagogo Adonye Hart, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education.
The dismissal was on the order of the State Governor and Visitor of the university, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
The statement read in part: “Rivers State Governor and Visitor of the Rivers State University, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has relieved the Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University , Prof Blessing Chimezie Didia, of his appointment with immediate effect.
“Also relieved of his appointment is the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Professor Magnus Oruwari. Accordingly, Governor Wike has approved the appointment of Professor Opuenebo B. Owei, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) as the Acting Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University.
“The statement added that Governor Wike has suspended the ongoing employment exercise at the university, while a committee has been set up to investigate the employment exercise and report to the Rivers State Governor in two weeks”.
It would be recalled that Wike recently, formally queried the sacked Vice Chancellor over reports of shooting within the school’s campus.
The governor also queried him over recent rampant complaints of ‘sorting’ within the university system.
In that query, Governor Wike directed Prof. Didia to respond in writing within 24 hours.