My Tenure Will Reposition DELSU Towards Solving Social Problems— New Pro-Chancellor

By Joshua Erubami 

The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Delta State University, Abraka, Gen. Alexander Ogomudia (Rtd) has disclosed that his leadership will focus on improving the reciprocal town and gown relationship between the institution and its host communities. 

Ogomudia explained that his tenure would prioritise making DELSU notable for solving definite social problems and making specific contributions to societal development.

According to a statement by Dr Patrick Ijeh, the university’s Deputy Director of Ceremonials, Information, and Public Relations, the Pro-Chancellor disclosed his intentions during his maiden official visit to the Abraka campus of the university on Friday.

Recall that on May 10, 2024, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori had inaugurated a new Governing Council for DELSU  with a charge to consistently pursue innovation in enhancing the institution’s curricula.

The Pro-Chancellor pledged to sustain the successes so far achieved by the university in the areas of quality teaching and research, staff and students’ welfare, infrastructural development, and upward mobility in university rankings.

He praised the university’s management for effectively utilising resources to advance the institution’s vision and mission of excellence in teaching, research, and community service.

Ogomudia emphasised his commitment to improving the well-being and morale of both staff and students, recognising their pivotal roles in upholding the institution’s achievements and future progress.

The university’s Governing Council Chairman stressed the need to uphold academic integrity in the university so that its graduates can continue to command respect in the industry globally.

He urged all stakeholders in the university to collaborate with him in unity and sincerity of purpose, emphasising his commitment to inclusive decision-making.

He said he would thoroughly assess the university’s current status to guide strategic decisions and initiatives aimed at leaving a commendable legacy by the end of his tenure.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of DELSU, Professor Andy Egwunyenga, had informed the Pro-Chancellor that the university was excited to receive him.

Egwunyenga observed that the university is the premier higher institution in Delta State having evolved from a teachers’ institute in the early days of the colonial era to College of Education (1971-1985), a campus of the defunct Bendel State University (1985-1992) and a full-fletched university on April 30, 1992.

The Vice-Chancellor revealed that the university currently has thirteen faculties and one institute, offering eighty-three programmes with full accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC).

According to him, the university currently ranks as the best state university in the South-South and South-East regions, the fourth best State University in Nigeria, the eighteenth best among the 284 universities and research institutes in the country and in the top 10% of over two thousand universities in Sub-Saharan Africa.

He noted that the student population of the university has increased from about 19,000 when he assumed office in 2019 to over 35,000, adding that DELSU has been enjoying uninterrupted academic calendar for over five years because of the competitive salaries and working conditions of staff facilitated by the state government.

Egwunyenga stated that the university is currently collaborating with several foreign universities in research and with Colleges of Education in the state in running affiliate degree programmes to promote education and enhance social development.

He explained that in addition to newly introduced courses such as Dentistry, Bio-Technology, Medical Laboratory Science and Entrepreneurship among others, the university recently received NUC approval to run Open and Distant Learning (ODL) programmes which will commence with a first degree in Nursing Science soon.

The Vice-Chancellor pointed out that the university faces challenges in the area of infrastructure because of the relocation of the Faculty of Management Sciences and Faculty of Agriculture from the defunct Asaba Campus, increase in both staff and students population, and irregular interventions by Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) in the last three years.

He said his administration was able to address some of the challenges by building the Faculty of Management Sciences Complex within eleven months from internally generated revenue but can no longer do the same for the Faculty of Agriculture and other areas because of inflation.

While appreciating the state government’s financial support to the university, the VC appealed to the Governing Council Chairman to help facilitate the completion of the University Senate Building which has been ongoing for about 20 years.

1. Led by the Vice-Chancellor and other Principal Staff, the maiden visit by the Pro Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council was rounded off with a tour of the campus facilities.

Meanwhile,Professor Egwunyenga has expressed concern over the apparent neglect of researchers’ efforts and contributions in addressing societal issues by the government and other concerned public entities.