By Onomiguren Agbamu
Delta State House of Assembly Committee on Education, Monday, said it is committed to delivering quality service in line with the State Governor’s MORE Agenda mantra.
The House committee on Education revealed this when it commenced visits to establishments under its legislative oversight function to find out the level of commitment to quality service delivery in the state.
Chairman of the Committee, Hon Charles Chukwuemeka Emetulu, noted that the 8th Delta State Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon Emomotimi Guwor, expects excellent performance in Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, hence the need for all hands to be on deck to achieve the set goals.
Hon. Emetulu Member representing Ndokwa West in the State House of Assembly explained that oversight duty is a constitutional responsibility of legislature which empowers its committees to oversight on financial appropriations made to the various MDAs and levels of implementations.
The Lawmaker added that his led House Committee on Education has resolved to ensure standards in the state’s education sector.
Flanked by the Vice Chairman, Hon Benson Obire, and other members, including Hon Ferguson Onwo, Emmanuel Sinebe, Marylyn Okowa- Daramola, Bridget Anyafulu and Matthew Omonade, the Lawmakers were at the Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara, College of Education Mosogar and College of Education, Warri.
Hon. Emetulu commended the removal of some bureaucratic bottlenecks to enable higher institutions to run independently for massive infrastructural development.
He urged the authorities to be innovative, pointing out that managers of educational institutions must create alternative means of funding and not to depend solely on the government.
Emutulu said he was very impressed with the institutions, most especially in the area of projects executions with internally generated revenue, as well as meeting the TETfund requirements to attract projects from the intervention body.
The Lawmaker assured the two Colleges of Education in Mosogar and Warri that the Assembly will initiate a legislation that would allow awards of both NCE Certificate and Degrees.
According to Emetulu, operating the dual mode system would address the issue of declining students population in the colleges, even as he called on staff of the institutions to upgrade themselves to meet with present day realities.
He said the committee would liaise with other committees in the house to intervene in the area of internal roads network in the institutions.
Emetulu assured the authority of Delta State Polytechnic Otefe-Oghara of support in the completion of abandoned projects.
He commended management for the new administrative building under construction.
At College of Education Mosogar, the committee lauded the institution for the perimeter fencing of the college and for attracting three new major projects to the institution.
Similarly, the Lawmakers at the College of Education, Warri, promised to interface with DESOPAEC to return to site to complete the administrative building it started.
Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof Johnbull Tonukeri commended the Lawmakers for the oversight visit and support.
He noted that the Ministry has made provisions for accreditations of courses in the various institutions, as well as the issue of shortage of staff.
The Rector, Delta State Polytechnic Otefe-Oghara, Prof Emmanuel Ufuophu-Biri, appealed to the Committee to assist on the completion of abandoned projects in the institution and release of funds for accreditations of some programmes.
The Rector of College of Education Mosogar, Dr Israel Emide and the Rector of College of Education Warri, Dr Dickson Oyovwe, appealed for domestication of the dual mode programme as applicable at federal level to enable the institutions to award both NCE certificate and degrees.
