From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has approved 15 hectares of land for the provisional take-off of the Federal University of Medical and Health Services in Kwale, Ndokwa West Local Government Area of the state.
The approval followed recent media outcry that the new institution was under threat of being hijacked by politicians in the South-South zone desperately scheming to move it to their states.
Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari approved the establishment of the university in May this year. His approval was affirmed by current president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu in October. But the non-provision of land delayed the take-off.
However, announcing the approval in Asaba on Friday, Commissioner for Lands, Surveys and Urban Development, Emamusi Obiodeh told journalists that the take-off site is the place previously used by the School of Marine Technology, Kwale.
“The governor has approved 15 hectares of land, including all facilities and infrastructure previously used by the Delta State School of Marine Technology, Kwale campus which has moved to their permanent site. “The new university will operate from this take-off site pending when they move to their permanent site of 100 hectares at Umuseti-Kwale,” he said.
Obiodeh said the governor appreciated the Federal Government for the choice of Delta for the specialised university. He expressed the state government’s preparedness to partner with the Federal Government, and any other serious investors with capacity that are ready to invest in the state.