Amidst deepening crisis rocking the Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, following the decision of the Governing Council to suspend the institution’s Rector, Prof. Emmanuel Achuenu, the state Government has reiterated that the Governing Council can only recommend not enforce disciplinary measures on the Rector.
Higher Education Commissioner in the state, Prof Nyerhovwo Tonukari, made the disclosure on Wednesday during a flagship public affairs program “Orientation Panorama” on Voice of Delta Radio.
Prof. Tonukari pointed out that the Governing Council acted ultra vires their powers by suspending the Rector.
He said the Chairman of the Governing Council is only superior to the Rector at Convocation ceremonies and during governing Council meetings.
The Commissioner for Higher Education stated that the Board or the Chairman cannot, and should never exercise disciplinary actions on the Rector, pointing out that only the State Governor who is the Visitor to the Polytechnic, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has the right and privileges to suspend or discipline the Rector, while the Governing Council can only recommend disciplinary measures to the Visitor for consideration.
On the strides of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori in the Academic sector, Prof Tonukari said the Governor had employed over 600 academic and non academic staff in tertiary institutions in the past two years of this administration, constantly funded accreditation of all academic programmes in tertiary institutions and ensured lecturers in Delta tertiary institutions were paid better than their counterparts across the country,
He said the governor built and commissioned the faculty of Agric and Environmental Science buildings in Dennis Osadebey University, Administrative Building, Vice Chancellor’s Lodge, Registrar and Chief Liberian official residences at the Southern Delta University Ozoro, as well as other mega infrastructure development at the Delta State University Abraka, University of Delta, Agbor and other tertiary institutions in the state.
The Commissioner stated that the name change from Delta State University of Science and Technology Ozoro to Southern Delta University Ozoro, was to enable the University authority develop more academic programmes for accreditation by the National Universities Commission, NUC, and gave an assurance that the Faculty of Law and other professional programmes would be added to the University as a result of the name change.
He added that in the near future, Faculties of Law, Art and Social Sciences would be added to the Southern Delta University campus in Orerokpe to complement the Faculty of Management Sciences.
In the area of research and inventions, Prof Nyerhovwo Tonukari recalled that a prototype fuel powered light generator was developed by some lecturers in collaboration with students at the Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara, adding that the state government was encouraging the institution to make a perfect prototype that could be mass produced in the future.
He noted that since inception of Oborewvori administration over 40 academic programmes have been added to the State Universities as part of efforts to upscale the standard of education in the state, noting that the Governor’s pragmatic leadership had practically positioned Delta in the front roll of economically bouyant states in Nigeria and Sub-Sahara Africa.
The Commissioner posited that Delta under Governor Oborevwori consistently remained number one in infrastructure development, best in good governance, especially in the prudent management of resources, openness, accountability, transparency and fiscal discipline.
NIM
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Governing Council Can Only Recommend Not Enforce Disciplinary Measures On Rector – Prof. Tonukari
