Niger Delta
We Place Premium On Education In Delta -Oborevwori
Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has said that the state government places premium on education to keep students on track and focused.
The Governor stated this on Monday when officials of the National Universities Commission (NUC), led by its Acting Executive Secretary, Mr Chris Maiyaki, paid him a courtesy visit in Government House, Asaba.
He thanked the NUC for approving three new universities for the state.
Oborevwori said the establishment of the new universities was justified, hence the House of Assembly, then presided over by him, never wasted time in passing the bills.
“When we received the bill for the three universities, we looked at the justifications for three universities and we found out that they had the staff and infrastructure.
“They had subvention, but the students were not there because the NCE programmes were no longer attractive to them.
“Where we had about 900 staff in the then College of Education, Agbor, you could not even find 1,000 students, and what we provide there is enough to run a full-fledged university.
“The money used in running the college is also the same thing to run Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma where I graduated, and they have over 15,000 students, yet we can’t get even 1,000 at the College of Education, Agbor”, he said.
The Governor added, “We didn’t waste time to approve the bill. Moreover, then, we had over 25,000 Delta State candidates that passed JAMB and were qualified for university education, but the universities couldn’t admit more than 5,000.
“So what happens to the remaining 20,000 students? They have to wait for another year again?
“And we said no, it’s a very brilliant idea to upgrade three existing higher institutions into full-fledged universities and we had to pass the bills.
“I must commend NUC for approving the three universities for Delta State. I want to assure you that as a government, we will continue to provide whatever it takes to make the universities great”.
Oborevwori said only a valuable education would help to reduce crime, while pledging his administration’s resolve to ensure adequate staffing and infrastructure provision for the universities.
“Delta is peaceful and everywhere is beautiful, but if you see any road that is not good in Delta, just know that it is a federal road.
“We are taking care of our state roads and even intervening in some federal roads like the over 147km Ughelli/ Asaba Road dualisation project which I am very sure would be completed by next year”, he said.
Earlier, the Acting Executive Secretary of NUC, Maiyaki, lauded Delta government for its contributions to sustainable educational development in the state and country.
He explained that the visit was coming at a time when the call for the reinvention of higher education system was “getting louder and louder by the day”.
He congratulated the state government for being education-friendly and for being the state with the highest number of state-owned universities in the country.
“Your Excellency, the information we have is that the university we are visiting was founded when you were the Speaker of the State House of Assembly.
“It was during your time that having appended your signature, we accepted and granted licences to the University of Delta, Agbor, the Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro and the Dennis Osadebay University, Anwai-Asaba”, he said.
He said the NUC was vested by law with the vital and strategic responsibility of orderly development of university education, the general coordination and regulation of the sub-sector.
He said the visit was crucial and pivotal because the result would enable the University to admit students into the programmes visited.
“We carry out that vital assignment through the monitoring of implementation of minimum standards, licence of private universities, conducting resource verification and accreditation of courses among others.
“We are here to carry out resource verification of academic programmes at the University of Delta, Agbor, to ascertain the quality and the quantity of the physical facilities, the human resources, the ICT deployments.
“To also ascertain the learning resources in hard and soft copies and of course the atmosphere for learning.
“This visit is crucial and very pivotal because the result emanating from this visit will enable the University admit students into the programmes we have visited”, he said.
Maiyaki said the State Government’s sustained support to the universities would be a legacy and a collective benefit to be shared for the posterity of the state.
“We are here to conduct resource verification for Basic Medical Sciences and Medicine, Law, Education, Agricultural Economics and if you look at the profile of these programmes, they are very capital intensive.
“We congratulate you and wish you resounding success as you embark on your programmes and policies that you collectively work to reposition Delta on the path of continuous progress”, Maiyaki said.
The Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaete Obot, has called for regular release of funds to the judiciary to ensure effective dispensation of justice.
Obot made the call recently while speaking at the opening of the 2024/2025 legal year in Uyo.
The Chief Judge said the judiciary in Akwa Ibom State had been grappling with debts arising from non-release of funds in 2023.
She said the judiciary required adequate funding to perform optimally, saying, “we need funds to maintain our facilities across the hierarchy of courts in the state”.
Obot further stated that the state judiciary was hugely under-staffed, and required more manpower.
“The last recruitment into the state judiciary was done in 2012. There is need to address the issue of shortage of staff in the system.
“Shortage of staff has made us to assign only one staff to cover duty schedules that are meant for two or three persons.
“Within the last two years, no fewer than 316 staff have retired from the state judiciary without replacement.
“When retirement goes on for many years without regular replacement, many skills and competences will be lost”, she said.
The Chief Judge decried the absence of basic educational facilities in correctional centres in state.
She suggested the establishment of adult education facilities within the correctional centres to support the education needs of inmates.
“Inmates require basic primary, secondary education and skills acquisition facilities to earn the needed reform”, she said.
In his remarks, the State Governoe, Umo Eno, assured the judiciary of the state government’s support and cooperation to enhance effective dispensation of justice.
Eno commended the Chief Judge and the judiciary in the state for their steadfastness and commitment to justice delivery.
The Tide’s source reports that a special court session was held during the event to signal the commencement of new legal year.
Delta State Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Comrade Reuben Izeze, has said the State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, was determined to deliver quality road projects to all Deltans across the State.
The Commissioner, who spoke recently during an inspection of projects in Warri South and Uvwie Local Government Areas of the state, said Governor Oborevwori was desirous to ensure that Deltans get value for every money spent on projects in the state.
The projects inspected include Central Hospital Road, Warri; Edo Guest House Road, Ekpan; Ogbetuo Avenue, Effurun; Rehabilitation and construction of Bright Hope Street with spurs to Okiemute Street, and Senator James Manager Street, Off Airport Road, Effurun, and Uti Road, Effurun.
Izeze, who paid unscheduled visits to the various project sites, expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done thus far by the various contractors, assuring that Governor Oborevwori’s promise to revamp Warri and environs was becoming a reality.
“I am very satisfied with the work being done at the places we have visited so far. As you can see, the visits were not scheduled, the contractors were not expecting us because I did not call any of them.
“We decided to take them unawares in the hope that probably some of them may have decided to go on vacation. Right from the Central Hospital where the drains are being extended to discharge water into the natural waterways for the road to be reasphalted.
“We are satisfied that the contractor was on site and working according to specifications as provided for in the Bills of Engineering Measurement (BEME).
“So also the contractor handling Ogbetuo Avenue, Effurun, when we got there even though they were not physically on site, we noticed that they have done the binder course waiting for the finishing course to be applied and I can certify that the quality of work done are good enough”, he said.
At Bright Hope Street with spurs to Okiemute Street and James Manager Street, the Commissioner said he visited to see the level and quality of work that has been done, especially considering the fact that the contractor was raising his final certificate.
“For me as a matter of principle and following the Governor’s directive, any job that requires certification, will need my physical presence to inspect and ensure that government is getting value for money spent.
“As Governor Oborevwori has promised Deltans, he intends to extract value for every money spent on every job that is done and he insists on quality supervision.
“As you all know, supervision and management is key to most of our projects because contractors are capitalists, if you leave them they will want to make the highest profit as possible. So we go back and certify that the job is satisfactory”, he noted.
At Uti Road, Effurun, the Commissioner, who met the contractor excavating the ground and sand filling with white sharp sand as provided in the BEME, took measurements of the depth and expressed satisfaction with the contractor for following specifications.
“As you can see, the contractor is on site and doing the job according to specification and we do hope that they speed up their pace so that as soon as the rains abate, they can get the road ready for inauguration.
“We are optimistic of its completion soonest so that all the residents and adjoining streets that this strategic road feeds will heave a sigh of relief.
“They will also appreciate the fact that Governor Oborevwori’s promise to give Warri and environs a facelift is now coming to reality right before their very eyes”.
On Edo Guest House Road, Ekpan, Izeze said, “the job has been completed and you can see the quality of work that has been done, the job has been completed.
“I am very elated that the residents are happy with the completion. All through the period we visited on inspection, the residents had always asked us to convey their appreciation to Governor Oborevwori because they had thought the road would never be completed.
“You can see how elated they were and that is the essence of governance. When you are able to put smile on the face of someone who does not need to have access to you to have development brought to their door step.
“I felt very fulfilled because the essence of governance is public service and when you service the public and they appreciate it, its quite exciting”.
By: Albert Ograka, Asaba
Bayelsa State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on security operatives to investigate the state’s Commissioner for Power, Engr. Komuku Kharim over alleged terror attacks at the party’s secretariat in Yenagoa, the state capital.
Briefing newsmen shortly after a closed door meeting of the party’s State Executive Council, Chairman of the party, Barr. Dennis Otiotio, alleged that as a fallout of the recent suspension of some erring members of the party by their Wards and Local Government Areas, thugs believed to be loyal to the Commissioner launched mayhem and unwarranted attacks at the party’s State Secretariat.
Otiotio faulted the Commissioner, describing it as “political rascality taken too far”.
The Tide learnt that the Bayelsa State chapter of the APC recently suspended 10 of its members, including the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, over alleged anti-party activities.
Leadership of the party, which also bared its mind on the membership status of the suspended Minister and others, noted that the State Working Committee (SWC) was planning a possible review or ratification of the suspension within timelines, saying as party faithful, it was expedient that all members work together for the progress and unity of the party in accordance with the renewed hope mantra of President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We call on the Nigerian Police and other security formations to institute an investigation on the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Power, Engr. Komuku Kharim, and call him and his thugs to order.
“This morning, Monday 14th October, 2024, thugs and other hoodlums believed to be loyal to him stormed the APC State Secretariat in their numbers with the intent to maim party faithful and cause unwarranted destruction.
“The recent suspension of some erring members of the party, including the Honourable Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (oil), and others wasn’t carried out by the party’s State Executive Council, but by the wards and LGAs chapters of the suspended members.
“As a party, we’ve conducted ourselves within the ambits of the law. The APC is a party that believes in the rule of law and order. It’s on record that the said Commissioner until his recent appointment by the Governor Douye Diri’s administration has been allegedly enmeshed in several anti-party activities.’’
“Rather than direct his grievances to the appropriate party authorities and other available dispute resolution mechanisms within the party, Engr. Komuku instead chose to unleash mayhem on the party’s secretariat and members”, the APC said.
In the same vein, the lawmaker representing Southern-Ijaw constituency 4 in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Victor-Ben Selekaye, has charge the party’s faithfuls and the general public to discountenance rumours that the present State Working Committee of the party has been sacked by the court.
He said it became necessary to correct the erroneous believe as, according to him, that matter has been resolved by organs of the party at all levels, noting that the party was looking forward to an expanded state working committee meeting were all stakeholders will be in attendance to resolve all perceived grievances and other pending issues.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa