By Mike Odiegwu Port HarcourtRivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has released N16.6bn to upgrade facilities at the states university and the schools College of Medical Sciences.The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, said out of the money, N9bn would be used as a take-off grant for the three new campuses of the university created by the governor at Ahoada, Emohua and Etche.Nsirim explained that N3bn would be deployed to each of the new campuses to provide faculty building, hostels, offices, libraries, auditorium, lecture halls and other relevant requirements.He described the development as a landmark in the history of the institution, which he said had maintained one campus since its establishment in October 1980.Nsirim further said that N7.6bn had been released to the College of Medical Sciences of the University to establish the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences and the Pathology Building.He said: With the establishment of the three new campuses, the communities, where they are sited will be opened up for consequential development and economic activities. This is in addition to creating employment that will reduce the rate of unemployment in the state.The approval will also properly position the College of Medical Sciences to fully commence the programme for Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). It will also give the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) the required facilities to strengthen accredited departments and departments that are due for accreditation.READ ALSO:Wike to PDP NWC: allow Govs oversee Anambra congresses, primaryThe commissioner, who was accompanied by his counterparts in Education, Prof. Kaniye Ebeku and Health, Prof. Princewill Chike, said the government had also established a scholarship scheme for indigenes of the state studying at Pamo University of Medical Sciences.Nsirim said: We are happy to share with you this good news coming at a time when governance has been grounded in most parts of the world because of COVID-19.This latest development will assist to reduce the gap in the doctor-to-patient ratio in the state and country. The Rivers State Government under the visionary leadership of Governor Wike as a responsive government is determined to contribute to reducing this gap thus the massive investment in the training of doctors.In his remarks, Ebeku said such projects were the first to be undertaken by any government in the history of the university.He expressed confidence that the three new campuses would create additional cities in the state and correct the impression that Rivers was a one-city state.Economic activities will also expand in these areas because of the influx of people from within and outside the state to these places, he said.
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