Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has urged the management of Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, to advance its frontiers of research, teaching, and learning to meet the current global realities.
Okowa gave the advice on Saturday at the 15th Convocation ceremony of the university in Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government area of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the convocation ceremony was for the graduands of the 2021/2022 academic session.
Okowa, represented by the Commissioner for Higher Education, Dr Kingsley Ashibuogwu, said that his administration would continue to give necessary assistance to the institution.
The governor added that the global market was becoming too competitive, hence, the need for the management to review its curricular in line with the current realities by way of placing emphasis on entrepreneurial education.
“We understand the importance of education, not only in the life of individuals, but on the nation building.
“Education, no doubt, is capital intensive, but it remains the bedrock for sustainable progress and development in every society.
“This is why in spite of the competitive demand of every sector, we simultaneously set up three other universities, thereby having four universities running in the state.
“Studies carried out in 2018 revealed that out of 22, 840 Delta indigenes that qualified for university admission, only 4,000 were able to gain admission.
“Today, the universities are running and bringing education closer to the people,” he said.
Okowa, however, commended the efforts of the Governing Council of DELSU for bringing the university to the level of growth it had attained.
He also commended the graduands for their academic successes.
The governor assured the institution’s management that his administration remain committed to the regular payment of staff salaries, release of subvention and provision of infrastructure within the limit of the available resources.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of DELSU, Prof. Andy Egwunyenga, said that the total graduands were 4,855 for the 2021/2022 academic session.
This, Egwunyenga said comprised, academic Certificates, Diplomas and Degrees.
He said that the university had consistently kept faith with its mandate of quality graduates, who would contribute to the nation building and advance the cause of humanity globally.
“The quality and quantity of graduates produced by our university over the years attest to our capacity to live up to the vision of our founding fathers.
“I congratulate all of us, staff and students on the successes we have recorded in approximating the ideas upon which our university is founded,” he said.
The vice-chancellor identified understaffing and infrastructure deficit, among others, as major challenges facing the university.
While thanking the state government for its magnanimous funding of the institution, Egwunyenga appealed for improved funding to enable the university to address some its challenges.
“The university is in dire need of more accommodation for students and staff members.
“The movement of the Faculties of Agriculture and Management Sciences to Abraka necessitated the construction of new Hall of Residence for students and blocks of flats for staff,” he said.
Egwunyenga highlighted some of the university’s achievements in recent time to include: construction of Faculty of Management Sciences Complex, procurement of 1000KVA and its accessories.
Other were: renovation of Institute of Education, critical repair of NDDC Hostel, renovation of Convocation Hall, renovation of postgraduate hostel and reticulation of new project electrically, among others.
Egwunyenga appealed to philanthropists, stakeholders and alumni of the institution to support the effort of the state government in funding the university.
He urged the graduands to be worthy Ambassadors of the institution and be vanguard of the New World Order.
In his remarks, Prof. Sam Oyovbiare, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of DELSU, urged the state government to commit more resources into the university.
Oyovbiare said that the funding should cover aspects of research, scholarship, technology, seminars, library and information science and regular intellectual workshops.
“The university is a unique academic institution with special mandate.
“I enjoined all our stakeholders to be committed to the above areas in the university through funding to allow for academic rebirth and sustenance of novel ideas for which university is known,” Oyovbaire said.
The best graduating student, Mr Obuseh Ewere, who spoke on behalf of the graduands, appealed to the state government to assist the First Class graduands with scholarship and employment in the university.
Ewere, while thanking God and management of the institution for the feat, urged students to take their studies very seriously, saying, “with God all things are possible”.
NAN reports that Ewere had 4.91 CGPA in Electrical/Electronics Engineering, while 58 graduands had First Class honours.
The breakdown of the graduands were: 596 Postgraduate Degrees; 3,843- First Degrees and 416 Diplomas. (NAN)
