Oborevwori Raises Tertiary Workers’ Pay, Approves 18 New Student Hostels Across Delta
By PAULINA NZERUBE
DELTA State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has approved a new salary structure for academic staff of the state’s four universities.
The new pay structure will take effect from August 2026.
For non-academic staff and workers in other tertiary institutions, the new salary structure will begin in September.
Oborevwori announced the decision on Tuesday in Asaba while swearing in the newly appointed Auditor-General of the state, Emasogbe Matthew Oghene.
He also inaugurated the Governing Councils of the University of Delta, Agbor; Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba; and Southern Delta University, Ozoro.
According to the governor, the state’s four universities now offer professional programmes such as medicine, law, nursing and accounting.
He added that student enrolment across the institutions had increased from about 50,000 in 2023 to more than 100,000 in 2026.
Oborevwori also said the universities had maintained uninterrupted academic calendars for 17 years without disruption from staff strikes or student unrest.
The governor described the development as evidence of his administration’s commitment to stable academic activities and improved tertiary education.
He further described Delta as an emerging education hub in Nigeria.
Consequently, he charged the newly inaugurated governing councils to strengthen corporate governance, improve efficiency and position the institutions for sustainable growth.
Oborevwori said the councils must meet regularly and operate with collective responsibility, transparency and accountability.
He also urged them to ensure strict compliance with the laws establishing the universities.
Beyond governance, the governor challenged the councils to maintain zero tolerance for sexual harassment, examination malpractice, cultism, favouritism and corruption.
He urged them to enforce appropriate disciplinary measures whenever members of their institutions violate established rules.
Meanwhile, Oborevwori said government support for tertiary education would continue within available resources.
However, he warned that universities could not depend entirely on government funding.
“It is unrealistic and unsustainable for a university to rely solely on government funding,” he said.
As a result, he urged the governing councils to devote more time and resources to marketing their institutions and attracting private-sector investment.
The governor said his administration had continued to invest in infrastructure and staff welfare.
He disclosed that he had approved the construction of two hostels for each of the state’s nine tertiary institutions.
Each hostel, he said, would accommodate 480 students.
Oborevwori therefore challenged the councils to build on the progress already recorded and make their institutions more competitive nationally and internationally.
He also charged the new Auditor-General, Oghene, to perform his duties with transparency, courage, professionalism and fairness.
At the same time, he warned against political witch-hunting and deliberate cover-ups in the discharge of the office.
Responding on behalf of the appointees, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Dennis Osadebay University Governing Council, Patrick Muoboghare, thanked the governor for the appointments.
Muoboghare called for the establishment of a Higher Education Endowment Fund to provide sustainable funding for tertiary institutions.
He said such a fund could help the universities compete more effectively with institutions elsewhere in the world.
He also urged prominent Deltans and other Nigerians to partner with government in providing infrastructure.
In particular, he called for private investment in student hostels, staff accommodation, lecture halls and faculty buildings.
The newly inaugurated councils include academics, professionals and public servants.
Victor Peretomode chairs the University of Delta Governing Council, while Muoboghare chairs the council of Dennis Osadebay University.
Godson Echegile chairs the Governing Council of Southern Delta University.
The three councils were formally constituted by the state government in August.
