DTSG Establishes Ministry For Technical, Vocational Education

…Renames Ministry Of Commerce

The Delta State Government has approved the establishment of the Ministry of Technical and Vocational Education as part of efforts towards achieving a stronger Delta.

A statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Chiedu Ebie, said that the policy was to encourage and motivate the present and future generations of Deltans to compete with their peers on the world stage where science, technology and innovation provide the framework for living.

The statement said that additional technical colleges would be established in each local government areas of the state where none exists, listing the functions of the new ministry to include formulation of policies for technical education and management of technical colleges and vocational centres in the state.

Other functions of the new ministry, the statement said, included to coordinate the accreditation of technical colleges and vocational centres, process the registration and licensing of vocational enterprise institutions, coordinate partnership and investment of technical colleges and vocational centres in the state, as well as liaise with appropriate MDAs in the implementation of technical and vocational education and training programmes of the state.

According to the statement, the ministry will take off with Planning, Research and Statistics, Administration, as well as Finance and Accounts Departments, while additional departments will be approved for the ministry in due course.

In a related development, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has approved the re-designation of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry as Ministry of Trade and Investment.

A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, said the functions and structure of the ministry as currently constituted remain unaffected by the re-designation.

It adds that the re-designation does not also invalidate all existing relationships which the old ministry of commerce and Industry had entered into on behalf of Delta State Government.