₦airaland Forum

*RENEWED HOPE YOUTHS AND STUDENTS COMMENCES FREE RIDE SCHEME AT RIVERS STATE UNIVERSITY, TARGETS ALL TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS*

The Renewed Hope Youths and Students (RHYS) under the Leadership of *Omano Kelechi* today, 11th February, 2026, successfully implemented its Free Ride Scheme, a student-centred transportation initiative designed to ease mobility challenges and demonstrate practical, people-oriented leadership.

The exercise commenced at the Rivers State University at 8am, serving as the pilot phase of a broader institutional outreach.

While the initiative was initially planned to cater for 100 students, the programme recorded an overwhelming response, ultimately providing free transportation for over 400+ students within the course of the exercise.

Encouraged by this turnout and impact, RHYS hereby announces that the Free Ride Scheme will be extended to other higher institutions of learning across Rivers State, as part of a structured and sustained student welfare and engagement drive under the Renewed Hope platform.

The initiative reflects RHYS’ commitment to moving beyond rhetoric to tangible interventions that address the everyday realities of students, while reinforcing inclusive governance, youth participation, and responsive leadership.

RHYS appreciates the cooperation of students, volunteers, and coordinators who contributed to the success of today’s exercise and assures stakeholders that further campus-based engagements will be duly communicated through official channels.

The RHYS remains committed to the Leadership of Chief (Dr) *Nyesom Ezenwo Wike,* CON, GSSRS, POS Africa, Life Bencher.

Signed:
*RHYS Secretariat*


11th day of February, 2026

Laspotect247:
*RENEWED HOPE YOUTHS AND STUDENTS COMMENCES FREE RIDE SCHEME AT RIVERS STATE UNIVERSITY, TARGETS ALL TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS*
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The RHYS remains committed to the Leadership of Chief (Dr) *Nyesom Ezenwo Wike,* CON, GSSRS, POS Africa, Life Bencher.

Signed:
*RHYS Secretariat*


11th day of February, 2026

While any effort to reduce the cost of living for students is helpful, the Renewed Hope Youths and Students (RHYS) "Free Ride Scheme" raises significant questions about its long-term intent and the political ethics of using campuses as battlegrounds for state supremacy.
A constructive critique of the scheme must look past the immediate benefit of a "free ride" to examine the deeper implications for Rivers State students.
The initiative’s branding leans heavily on the "Renewed Hope" mantra, yet its primary inspiration, Chief Nyesom Wike, has a controversial track record regarding student welfare.

While the previous administration was celebrated for physical projects, the disbandment of the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) remains a significant blow to the state’s intellectual future. It is difficult to reconcile a "student-centered" initiative with a leadership legacy that terminated overseas scholarships for thousands of deserving Rivers indigenes. A temporary bus ride does not replace the permanent loss of global educational opportunities