From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The Delta State House of Assembly on Tuesday received three executive bills seeking the conversion of an existing college of education, a polytechnic and a state university campus to full-fledged universities.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa forwarded the bills with an introductory letter read by the Speaker, Sheriff Oborevwori who presided over plenary.
The governor is seeking the conversion of College of Education, Agbor, to Delta State University of Education, Agbor; Delta State University, Anwai Campus, to Delta State University of Science and Agriculture, Anwai; and Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, to Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro.
In the introductory letter, Okowa urged the lawmakers to give necessary legislative actions to the three bills.
He explained that the proposed laws are to upgrade the three existing higher institutions in the state to statuses of universities.
At the moment, the state has one university with the main campus at Abraka in the central senatorial district, and two other campuses at Oleh in Delta south and the said Anwai campus in Delta north.
In the proposed arrangement, the University of Education located at Agbor, is few meters drive from Owa-Oyibu where the present administration has also built a teaching institute for teachers in the state.
Agbor is also in Delta north like Anwai which is to host the University of Science and Agriculture, should be bills scale through.
On the other hand, Ozoro which will host the proposed University of Science and Technology is in the southern senatorial district.
Reading the introductory letter, the Speaker, Oborevwori explained that the move was as a result of the continuous increase in the number of Deltans jostling for space into the few existing universities due to increase in the number of admission seekers.
He further stated that the decision was also to meet up with the Federal Government decision to upgrade educational and technical education in the country by having degree-awarding institutions in these areas.
