VICE-CHANCELLOR’S MESSAGE TO MEMBERS OF STAFF AND STAKEHOLDERS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT ON THE OCCASION OF THE 2026 INTERNATIONAL WORKERS’ DAY CELEBRATION

To the amiable workforce of the unique University of Port Harcourt.

Today provides a fitting opportunity for us to recognize and celebrate your dedication, resilience, and the vital roles you play in sustaining the excellence, stability, and progress of our institution.

Our collective effort is the foundation upon which our University thrives.

We also wish to express profound appreciation to the Visitor and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his continued support and forward-looking initiatives that have further positioned the University for greater relevance and impact. Your Excellency Sir, You are the number 1 worker.

To our dear Pro-Chancellor/Chairman of the Governing Council and members (internal and external) we sincerely thank you for your steadfast support, which continue to strengthen our collective vision and drive for excellence.

We equally extend our gratitude to our strategic partners and host communities. Your cooperation, goodwill, and harmonious relationship with the University remain invaluable. We deeply appreciate your support and commend your contributions to our shared progress.

Our dear team of staff, we value you deeply. From the gatemen who open our gates before dawn and ensure our safety, to the cleaners whose quiet diligence keeps our environment conducive and worthy of excellence; from our dedicated security personnel who stand watch with courage and vigilance, to our non-teaching staff whose unseen labour keeps the engine of the University running smoothly; and to our teaching staff whose scholarship, mentorship, and commitment continue to shape minds and advance knowledge, not leaving behind our distinguished members of Senate and Management. I say with utmost sincerity that we see you, we appreciate you, and we honour you. We salute your labour and encourage you to remain patriotic, committed, and steadfast in the discharge of your duties in the University of Port Harcourt.

There would be no University of Port Harcourt without you. If this university stands tall today, it is because your hands lifted it.

Today, we want you to know this: your labour is not forgotten. Your sacrifices are not invisible. Your service is written into the very foundation of this university. You are the reason UniPort breathes. You are the reason UniPort grows. You are the reason UniPort remains a beacon of learning, leadership, and national relevance.

As your Vice-Chancellor, I say – thank you for your loyalty to the University, thank you for your courage, thank you for believing in this university even in difficult seasons.

May your sacrifices be rewarded. May your strength never fail. And may history always remember that behind every great institution are great workers like you.

Happy International Workers’ Day!

With deepest appreciation,

Prof. Owunari A. Georgewill, KSC, FRSB, FWASOT, FECRMI, FFS, FIIA, FWASOP, FIARSA, FIHSC, FFA, DFCIHTMA, Vice-Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt