BY IFEANYI UWAGWU
Lecturers in Delta State-owned tertiary institutions have no reason to join any industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) because they are well-paid, properly cared for, and enjoy a conducive work environment, the Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof Nyerhovwo Tonukari said yesterday.
Speaking during the flagship public affairs programme, Orientation Panorama, on Voice of Delta Radio, Prof. Tonukari noted that academic staff in the state are better remunerated than their counterparts in other parts of the country. This, he said, has helped maintain a stable academic calendar and fostered a positive atmosphere across Delta’s universities and other higher institutions.
“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; there’s no reason to do that,” he said, reinforcing the state government’s commitment to prioritising the welfare of educators.
The commissioner revealed that in the past two years, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has approved the employment of over 600 academic and non-academic staff across the state’s tertiary institutions. This, he said, was part of the administration’s drive to expand educational opportunities, strengthen human capacity, and improve overall service delivery in the sector.
Prof. Tonukari noted that Delta tertiary institutions now admit the highest number of 100-level students in the country due to the increasing number of accredited academic programmes and the establishment of more institutions. In the last academic year alone, more than 25,000 students were admitted, bringing the total student population across all Delta State-owned tertiary institutions to over 90,000.
He added that the state has become a preferred destination for parents across Nigeria, who are eager to enrol their children in Delta universities because of their high academic standards, disciplined environment, and efficient academic calendars. “In Delta State, a four-year programme is truly a four-year programme,” he stressed.
Commending Governor Oborevwori’s investment in infrastructure, Tonukari highlighted several major projects executed since 2023. These include the construction and commissioning of the Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Science buildings at the Dennis Osadebey University, the Administrative Building, Vice Chancellor’s Lodge, and official residences for the Registrar and Chief Librarian at Southern Delta University, Ozoro. Similar infrastructural strides have also been recorded at Delta State University, Abraka, the University of Delta , Agbor, and other institutions across the state.
He further explained that the recent renaming of Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro, to Southern Delta University, was intended to allow the institution to expand its scope and develop new academic programmes for accreditation by the National Universities Commission (NUC). With the name change, the university is now better positioned to offer professional programmes, including Law, which will be added soon. He added that the Southern Delta University campus at Orerokpe is progressing rapidly and will soon house faculties of Law, Arts, and Social Sciences to complement the existing Faculty of Management Sciences.
In the area of innovation, Prof. Tonukari revealed that a fuel-powered light generator prototype was developed through collaboration between lecturers and students at the Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara. He said the state government is encouraging the institution to refine the prototype for potential mass production, a move that highlights the administration’s support for practical research and technology-driven solutions.
He also explained that the Oborevwori government fully funds the accreditation of all academic programmes in state-owned institutions and that more academic and non-academic staff would be employed, particularly in polytechnics and colleges of education, to meet the growing demands of the sector.
Tonukari lauded Governor Oborevwori’s achievements in the past two years, describing his leadership as pragmatic, transparent, and development-driven, noting that under Oborevwori, Delta State has remained number one in infrastructure development, good governance, and prudent resource management, not just in Nigeria but across Sub-Saharan Africa.
