Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan has said that part of Delta State’s proceeds from the partial removal of subsidy on petroleum products would be deployed into completing all ongoing projects at the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka,
According to him, apart from education, a part of the subsidy fund would also be spent on empowering the people through micro-credit and transportation initiatives.
Uduaghan who made the disclosure at the institution’s convocation ceremony in Abraka, explained that there are challenges in the funding of three campuses of the university but assured that none of the projects currently being executed would be left uncompleted by his administration.
He, therefore, solicited the cooperation of students, staff and management of the university to ensure the completion of the projects on schedule. In particular, he promised to build a convocation arena for the institution, to end the university’s era of holding convocation in the open air prone to rain disturbances.
Uduaghan presented a cheque of N150m to the university as part of its 2012 budget for vehicles and car refurbishing loan, and appealed to trade unions in the institution to use academics in government to push their case through dialogue.
He equally commended the stable academic programme of the institution in recent years, imploring all stakeholders to ensure the improvement or sustenance (at least) of the trend.
Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Eric Arubayi commended the developmental efforts of the state government, saying the recent accreditation of various programmes of the university by the National University Commission (NUC) is testament to the good works of the governor.
He argued that the development of the university cannot be left for the government alone, and called on prominent and wealthy citizens of the state to help in building infrastructures in the university as a way of immortalising their names.
Chancellor of the university, Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (rtd.) and pro-chancellor and chairman of council, Justice Francis Tabai agreed that the institution can surpass its progress in recent years with more commitment from all stakeholders.
First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan bagged an honorary doctoral degree in political science at the ceremony while the minister of Finance and coordinating minister of the economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was awarded an honorary doctoral degree in philosophy.
While Jonathan promised increased federal government support to tertiary education in the country, Okonjo-Iweala promised various scholarship awards to excelling graduates of the Department of Economics both for first degree and postgraduate categories.