Egwunyenga: My Administration Has Devoted The Past One Year To Development Of Infrastructure In DELSU

-Says Hostel Culture Has Been Restored, 40 Programmes Get Full Accreditation First Time In 31 Years

…As Institution Moves To 4th Best State University In Nigeria

By Daniel Dafe

Vice-Chancellor, Delta State University, DELSU, Abraka, Professor Andy Egwunyenga, has said that his administration has devoted the past one year to building capacity through the development of infrastructure for teaching, research, and quality assurance.

Egwunyenga, spoke to journalists on Wednesday at the 750 lecture-theater hall to usher in ceremonies and programmes for the 15th Convocation for graduation and award of Degrees, Diplomas and Prizes to deserving graduands.

Speaking on his strides in the area of physical infrastructure, Prof. Egwunyenga hinted that his administration built the Faculty of Management Sciences in one year, adding that it will be commissioned on Saturday.

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Continuing, he said that 3.2km of road network within the permanent site of the University, tarring of internal roads in the Faculty of Engineering and Provost Office of Oleh Campus of Delta State University and construction of a block of 6 classrooms to expand infrastructure at Delta State University, Staff Secondary School were some of the projects undertaken under his leadership.

Prof. Egwunyenga also disclosed that Eco hostel, NDDC Female Medical Hostel and Cannon Mason hostel have been renovated, adding that this has restored the hostel culture of DELSU.

Furthermore, he said that the tertiary institution has now secured full accreditation for all the forty (40) Programmes presented to the National Universities Commission (NUC) in the November/December 2022 Accreditation Exercise.

In his words, “this happens to be the first time since the 31 years of existence of the Delta State University, Abraka, that full accreditation would be returned for forty (40) Programmes in one fell swoop,” saying that “all eighty (80) Programmes in the University have full NUC accreditation status.”

“No interim accreditation, no denial for any Programme. This again is unprecedented in the history of the University and has only been made possible by the unwavering determination of the University Administration and the entire staff to advance and reposition Delta State University, Abraka, for national and global recognition,” he said.

He continued: “Most recently, approval was sought and obtained from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to raise the University’s Admission Quota for the Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) Programme from 75 to 120. This was targeted at reducing the admission pressure that qualified students from Delta and neighbouring States go through in getting admitted to study Medicine and Surgery at Delta State University, Abraka.”

According to him, “the current administration met the admission quota for the MBBS Programme at 50 upon assumption of duty in December, 2019,” while stating that “the first increase was from 50 to 75.”

Speaking further, the VC said that following approval from NUC, Entrepreneurship Studies, Office & Information Management, Biotechnology, Public Administration and Medical Laboratory Science are some new Degree Awarding Programmes open to admission seekers, just as he said that they are awaiting the report of NUC’s Resource Verification Exercise for the commencement of the Agriculture Business Management Programme and the Doctor of Pharmacy Programme.

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Meanwhile, he said that the University Administration recently came up with the Gender Policy document in addition to the Environment Policy, Security Policy, Plagiarism Policy and Sexual Harassment Policy documents that were formulated two years ago to serve as a guide to conduct of staff, students and other stakeholders in order to ensure compliance with University global best practice and competitiveness.

On research and international collaboration, the VC listed the Canadian -Israel Research Grant, Centre for Research And International Programmes (CRIP), International Students’ Fees, signing MoUs with Other Institutions and Organizations, Exploration of new culturable aquatic species from Delta State and the development of aquafeed for sustainable aquaculture, Directorate for Agricultural Research and Plant and The Advanced Research Centre were some of the initiatives to achieve this goal.

On latest rankings of DELSU, he said that the institution is now the 4th best state university in Nigeria.