Engage in corrupt practices, risk dismissal, Rivers varsity VC warns staff
The Vice-Chancellor of the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Prof Nlerum Okogbule, has warned that any staff of the institution found engaging in sharp practices stands the risk of outright dismissal.
Okogbule handed down the warning while declaring open a capacity building workshop for senior non-academic staff held at the university Senate chamber in Port Harcourt.
While noting that the primary functions of the university include teaching and research, he said the non-academic staff in any citadel of learning play very important roles, even as he urged them to treat subordinates as fellow humans.
“If you don’t provide a conducive environment, lecturers cannot function very well. So everybody is important in the system. Even when you are dealing with junior staff, treat them as human beings.
“The positions we hold today are temporal. I will not remain here forever. I will finish my job as Vice-Chancellor and still come back as a staff and then somebody will become the Vice-Chancellor and I will bow to the person,” he explained.
Okogbule said the university has zero-tolerance for corruption, saying “If you say because you are in a particular position and you start collecting N5,000, N10,000 as the case may be from students, when you lose your job between one to five years, you will know what it means.
“So don’t get involved in unethical things because the consequences are dire, including outright dismissal. For the non-academic staff, it is important for them to shun some of the unethical conducts that are pervading in general society,” the vice-chancellor stated.
He urged administrative staff to show capacity and improve themselves, pointing out that it underscores the importance of the workshop.
“It is aimed at equipping you with capacity and capability to be able to carry out your jobs in a dynamic and rapidly changing society. This workshop is underpinned by a realization of the importance of training and re-training of the workforce to achieve the goal of an organization,” he stated.
Okogbule further said the university operates an effective punishment and reward system, saying “Those that are working very hard, at the appropriate time they are appraised and promoted.
“Of course, those that are delinquent, we also punish them appropriately in accordance with the rules and regulations of the university.”
He further said, “We have not achieved 100 percent, but some of these challenges are being addressed,” even as he expressed happiness that the management has a good relationship with its staff, saying they are working very well and complying with the ethical standards established by the university.
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