...Says Delta Is Nigeria’s Education Hub
...Tasks Varsities On Financial Autonomy, Private Sector Investments
Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, Tuesday, said he has approved a new salary structure for academic staff of the four state-owned universities effective from August 2026, while that of non-academic staff and other tertiary institutions would take effect from September.
Oborevwori spoke in Asaba at the swearing-in of the newly appointed Auditor-General of the state, Mr Emasogbe Matthew Oghene, and the inauguration of the Governing Councils of the University of Delta, Agbor; Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba; and Southern Delta University, Ozoro.
He said the four state-owned universities now offer professional courses including medicine, law, nursing and accounting, adding that student enrolment had risen from about 50,000 in 2023 to more than 100,000 in 2026. The enrolment figure has also been reported by the state government in recent education-sector briefings.
He further noted that the academic calendar of the universities had not been disrupted by staff strikes or student unrest in 17 years, describing the development as evidence of the state government’s commitment to stable academic activities.
Speaking further, he described the state as an emerging education hub in Nigeria, saying his administration is committed to repositioning the state-owned universities as centres of excellence and charged the newly inaugurated councils to pursue policies that would strengthen corporate governance, improve institutional efficiency and position the universities for sustainable growth.
He said the councils, as the highest policy-making bodies of the institutions, must ensure regular meetings, collective responsibility, transparency and accountability, while ensuring that the universities operated strictly in accordance with their enabling laws.
Oborevwori also tasked the councils to maintain zero tolerance for sexual harassment, examination malpractice, cultism, favouritism and corruption, urging them to apply disciplinary measures whenever rules were breached.
Saying that the state government would continue to support tertiary education within the limits of available resources, he said; "It is unrealistic and unsustainable for a university to rely solely on government funding".
While urging the councils to devote substantial time and resources to marketing their institutions and attracting private-sector investments, he said his administration had continued to invest heavily in infrastructure and staff welfare. He disclosed that he had approved the construction of two hostels for each of the nine state-owned tertiary institutions, with each hostel designed to accommodate 480 students.
The governor charged the councils to build on the progress recorded and make the institutions more competitive nationally and internationally.
He charged the new Auditor-General of Delta State, Mr Emasogbe Matthew Oghene to discharge his duties with transparency, courage, professionalism and fairness, warning against political witch-hunting and deliberate cover-up.
Responding on behalf of the appointees, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Dennis Osadebay University, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, thanked Governor Oborevwori for appointing him and other members of the councils.
Muoboghare called for the establishment of a Higher Education Endowment Fund to provide sustainable funding for tertiary institutions to enable them to compete favourably with their counterparts globally.
He also challenged eminent Deltans and Nigerians to partner with government by investing in student hostels, staff accommodation, lecture halls and faculty buildings, stressing that government alone could not provide all the infrastructure required to develop the universities.
The newly inaugurated councils comprise distinguished academics, professionals and public servants. Prof. Victor Peretomode chairs the University of Delta Governing Council, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare chairs that of Dennis Osadebay University, while Chief Godson Echegile chairs the Southern Delta University council. The three councils had been formally constituted by the state government in August.
