It’s Not About Politics, It’s About Governance — Hon. Aniagwu
As the upgrade of three institutions to a University status continue to generate controversies among stakeholders, the clandestine move of the Delta state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, to upgrade only one of the two toa University status in Delta north has been exposed.
Last week, opinion leaders held the view that the governor only planned to upgrade the College of Education, Agbor, to a full fledge University of Education, abandoning the remaining Anwai and Ozoro.
Addressing the issue, an environmental activist, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, appealed to the governor to include well known higher institutions in Ijaw and Itsekiri lands to the upgrade for the purpose of developing the sector in Delta South Senatorial District.
Comrade Mulade, a traditional High Chief with the Ibe-sorimowei title
in the ancient Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri south west local government area of the state spoke in Benikrukru town while addressing journalists on the planned upgrade.
Chief Mulade, the National Coordinator, Center for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ) cum peace advocate, alleged that the planned upgrade of College of Education Agbor, to a University of Education, the Anwai Campus of DELSU to a University of Science and Agriculture, as well as the Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro to a University of Science and Technology, was a calculated attempt at upgrading only College of Education Agbor, but to douse tension and avoid open confrontation and accusations from other quarters, the Governor technically included Anwai Campus of DELSU and Ozoro Polytechnic.
Chief Mulade who is also an educationist, further appealed to Governor Okowa to include the School of Marine Technology, Burutu, the College of Education, Warri and Sinebe College, Bomadi to give a sense of belonging to Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic groups in the planned school upgrade as development projects.
He advised that the Marine School of Technology, Burutu should be upgraded to a University of Fishery, Marine and Environmental Studies, the College of Education Warri to a University of Peace and Conflict Studies, the Sinebe College, Bomadi to a University of Youths Development and Leadership, while the State School of Nursing Ofuoma-Ughelli should be upgraded to the University of Nursing and Midwifery Studies.
He said when this is done, it would improve the educational prowess of the ethnic nationalities and the state in general.
Mulade, noted that failure to upgrade any of the recommended institutions in Ijaw and Itsekiri areas of the state would be regarded as a deliberate plan by the Governor to neglect the cry of the people and worsen the educational situation of the affected areas.
He said it would be unfair to the Ijaws and Itsekiris ethnic nationalities if the Governor ignored this appeal as they are the ethnic groups that contributes the largest financial quota to the state’s development funds.
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner for Information, Hon. Charles Aniagwu and the Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, who flanked the Higher Education Commissioner, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, at a Post Exco briefing on Wednesday 27th January 2021, insisted that the ungrade is about governance and not about politics.
