Tonukari: Employing Over 600 Academic, Non-academic Staff in 2yrs Shows Oborevwori’s Commitment

•Insists visitor, not governing council can discipline polytechnic rector

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

Delta State Commissioner of Higher Education Commissioner, Prof. Nyerhovwo J. Tonukari, has said that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has demonstrated serious commitment to the development of the four state-owned universities as well as other tertiary institutions in the state, including the employment of more than 600 academic and non-academic staff in tertiary institutions in two years of his administration.

The commissioner revealed this yesterday during a flagship public affairs Voice of Delta Radio programme, “Orientation Panorama,” under the auspices of the State Orientation and Communication Bureau in Asaba.

Prof. Tonukari commended Governor Oborevwori for prioritising adequate funding of education since he assumed office in 2023, noting that the impressive record of accreditation of most of courses even in the relatively young tertiary institutions was a function of adequate funding.

He asserted that aside the relief the institutions have brought Delta, many parents across the country were craving to transfer their children and wards to Delta State-owned universities, polytechnics and other tertiary institutions owing to the standard of academic programmes, high level of moral discipline as well as conducive learning environment put in place by the state government.

According to him, the governor built and inaugurated the Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Science buildings in Dennis Osadebey University Asaba, the Administrative Building, Vice-Chancellor’s Lodge, the Registrar and Chief Librarian official residences at the Southern Delta University Ozoro as well as other mega infrastructure development at the Delta State University Abraka, University of Delta Agbor and other tertiary institutions in the state.

Nevertheless, Prof. Tonukari explained the name change from Delta State University of Science and Technology Ozoro to ‘Southern Delta University Ozoro’ was to enable the university authorities develop more academic programmes for accreditation by the National Universities Commission (NUC), assuring Deltans that Faculty of Law and other professional programmes can be added to the university because of the name change.

The State Higher Education Commissioner further disclosed that the Southern Delta University campus in Orerokpe was making tremendous progress, saying in the near future, faculties of Law, Art and Social Sciences would be added to complement the Faculty of Management Sciences in line with ongoing major reforms, transformation and staff capacity building in the state’s education sector.

In the area of research and inventions, Prof. Tonukari disclosed that a prototype fuel-powered light generator was developed by some lecturers in collaboration with students at the Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara, noting the state government was encouraging the institution to make a perfect prototype that could be mass-produced in the future.

Tonukari said while fielding questions from callers: “Many parents across Nigeria are craving to transfer their children to Delta State Universities and other tertiary institutions, because of the standard of education in the state. Our students graduate on time. A four-year programme is a four-year programme.

“Lecturers don’t go on strike in Delta State. They are well paid, far better than their counterparts in other states of the federation. They can never participate in ASUU strikes, no reason to do that.

“Delta tertiary institutions admit the highest number of 100 level students in the country as a result of increased academic programmes and number of tertiary institutions in the state. We are far ahead of other states in Nigeria.

“In the past year we admitted over 25,000 students and there are now over 90,000 students and counting in Delta State owned tertiary institutions.

“Delta State Government funds all academic programmes accreditation for universities and other higher institutions. And more academic and non- academic staff would be needed in the higher institutions, particularly in the Polytechnics and Colleges of Education,” he said.

On the reported suspension of the Rector of Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, Prof. Emmanuel Achuenu, the commissioner stated that the Governing Council acted ultravires by suspending the rector.

“The Chairman of the Governing Council is only superior to the Rector at Convocation ceremonies and during governing council meetings”, he noted.

He stated that the Board or the Chairman cannot, and should never exercise disciplinary actions on the Rector, pointing out that only the State Governor who is the Visitor to the Polytechnic, Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has the right and privileges to suspend or discipline the Rector, while the Governing Council can only recommend disciplinary measures to the Visitor for consideration.

Prof. Tonukari said lecturers in Delta tertiary institutions don’t go on strike because they are well paid, far better than their counterparts in the country, and the state government constantly funded accreditation of all academic programmes in tertiary institutions.

He noted that since inception of Oborewvori administration, over 40 academic programmmes have been added to the different state universities, which underscored “the governor’s unwavering commitment” to upscaling the standard of education in the state.

Tonukari commended the good governance strides of Governor Oborevwori in the past two years, noting his pragmatic leadership has practically positioned Delta State in the front roll of economically buoyant states in Nigeria and even Sub-Sahara Africa.