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From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The people of Isoko nation in Delta State on Wednesday have staged a protest against plans by the state government to relocate the faculty of Administration and Management from the Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro, headquarters of Isoko North Local Government Area to Orerokpe in Okpe Local Government Area.
The protest is coming after Tuesday announcement by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori that the National University Council (NUC) has approved the establishment of three more faculties including Basic Medical Sciences, Pharmacy, and Health Science for the Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro.
Governing Council of the university had purportedly signed the relocation of the faculty with the departments of Business Administration, Accountancy, Banking and Finance, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Office Information and Management, Transport and Marine Technology, and Public Administration to Okpe, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s locality.
Rejecting the relocation, the Isoko people during the protest condemned the plot and urged the governor to reconsider it.
The protesters who disrupted economic activities and vehicular movement, vowed to occupy the Ozoro-Kwale-Asaba road until the state government reversed the decision.
In a protest letter addressed to Governor Oborevwori, a pressure group, Isoko Monitoring Group, (IMG), expressed total dissatisfaction and displeasure at the planned relocation of what it called ‘key faculty’ from Delta State University Of Science And Technology, Ozoro to Orerokpe.
Titled ‘Relocation Of A Faculty From Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro And Neglect Of The Isoko People Is Unacceptable, Isoko Deserves More,’ the letter was signed for the IMG by Dr. Kingsley Oroh,
“We wish to draw the attention of the governor to this news, and urge him to set the records straight before it is too late. We want to state categorically that the governor should not take the Isoko people peaceful nature to be a weakness,” it stated.
Meanwhile, Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Jacob Oboreh has called for calm and understanding.
Prof. Oboreh in a statement said the relocation of the Faculty of Management Sciences from Ozoro to Orerokpe was intended to open up more rapid development in the University of Science and Technology.
According to him, 12 new programmes in the existing faculties will be created immediately in the area of science and technology, adding that the programmes being relocated will not in anyway be a set back to the university.
“In addition to these new 12 programmes, three faculties of Basic Medical Sciences, Pharmacy and Health Sciences have been approved for the university by the governor
“The Isoko and Ozoro people should accept the relocation in good faith and let me assure all concerned that we will give equal opportunities to all Deltans in terms of admission and other considerations.
“The Isoko people who are major stakeholders in the university have met with the Governor and he has opened up his plans for the rapid development of the university.
“I therefore call on all our people to be calm and allow the Governor to unfold his massive development plans for our nascent university and the overall educational sector in our state.”
