I’ll rather upgrade than establish new tertiary institutions in Delta ―Okowa

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7 years ago

Instead of establishing new tertiary institutions that’ll suffer accreditation, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, affirmed that his administration would focus on the upgrade of existing ones.

Okowa disclosed this at the 2018 Town Hall meeting held on Thursday in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta.

The people of Bomadi had, at the forum, requested the establishment of a polytechnic in the local government area to boost economic activities.

Okowa contended that there was no need creating new polytechnics that would, in the end, suffer accreditation.

It will be recalled that three functional polytechnics and three university campuses exist in Delta.

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The polytechnics are located in Oghara, Ozoro and Ogwashi-Uku, while the university campuses are located in Oleh, Abraka and Asaba.

Okowa opined that “We do not want to establish another polytechnic or university now but worked on the existing ones to ensure they are functional, we have to strengthen the existing ones to the standard we can be proud of.

“We do not want to create a polytechnic whose certificate will be worthless at the end of the day due to lack of accreditation.

“Though the issue of creating more polytechnic has not being forgotten but certainly not in 2018.”

The about three-hour forum deliberated on Issues bordering on infrastructural deficit and empowerment in the 12 autonomous urban communities in Bomadi Local Government Area. dominated the more than three hours meeting.

Earlier, the Bomadi LGA Chairman, Mr Williams Angadi, had commended the governor for the ongoing projects in the area.

He, however, appealed to the governor to upgrade the General Hospital to Central Hospital, Bomadi as well as assist in the shoreline protection to save the hospital from being washed away.

Speaking on behalf of the Bomadi people, Prof Benjamin Okaba said many of the communities have not felt the impact of the Okowa’s administration despite the huge vote in 2015 governorship election.

He also lamented the impact of oil exploration on their fishing activities.

The governor and his entourage thereafter moved to Ughelli, the administrative headquarters of Ughelli North where presidents-general underscored issues of an infrastructural deficit with reference to access roads and insecurity among others which the governor pledged to look into.