Why new universities are my legacies for Delta people – Okowa

Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa has described the establishment of three new universities as the enduring legacies of his administration for the people of the state.

Mr Okowa stated this on Saturday at the Founders’ Day Celebration of University of Delta, Agbor, according to a statement from Delta State Government House Press Unit.

The governor said the institution has bridged admission gaps and justified its establishment by admitting no fewer than 5, 219 students since it began academic activities in the 2022/2023 academic session.

“Today’s event is about the success of a purposeful idea aimed at expanding the frontiers of knowledge and institutionalising the deepening of higher education for the advancement of society through research, teaching and learning; the tripod on which tertiary education stands.

“Today, the three new universities we established are in session and have helped in narrowing the gap while at the same time, bringing higher education nearer and cheaper to our people,” Mr Okowa said.

The governor said the university should be known for academic excellence in order to attract endowments, scholarship schemes and other benefits from well-meaning members of the public eager to leave landmarks and legacies in the institution.

He urged the university authorities to ensure the training of students in entrepreneurship studies and engaged in research and consultancy services as a means of generating funding for the university.

He solicited the understanding of parents over the complaints on the high fees charged by the university authorities.

“I have heard people complain that the fees are too much, but I know that the total fees paid in this institution and the other two institutions is less than N200, 000 per annum.

“I am also aware of private universities that charge fees running up to millions per annum. Imagine the plight of an average family with three wards who are qualified for admission to universities.

“People must understand that the naira has depreciated a lot and the universities must run their affairs. We pay the salaries of all the staff and the infrastructure as much as we can but it’s important that the universities are financially strong to enable them to run the day-to-day activities of the institution.

“We believe that we don’t want to have universities that cannot keep the students in a functional state of learning so I appeal to parents to please bear with us as the naira has since depreciated,” the governor said.