By Mokobia Rita.
OGHARA/Nigeria: Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has ordered a fresh assessment of deteriorating public school buildings across the state, directing the education ministries to identify facilities requiring urgent rehabilitation as his administration expands technical and vocational education.
The directive was announced on Friday during the inauguration of the Model Technical College at Oghareki, in Ethiope West Local Government Area, where the governor outlined his administration’s plans to address infrastructure gaps across the education sector.
Oborevwori said the Ministries of Primary and Secondary Education had been instructed to begin assessing schools in poor condition, following an earlier decision by the State Executive Council to identify institutions requiring urgent intervention.
“I have directed that all schools in Delta State that are in deplorable condition, whether primary or secondary, should be assessed for immediate rehabilitation,” he said.
The governor called for the assessment to commence without delay, noting that maintaining more than 1,400 primary schools and 480 secondary schools across the state required sustained planning and investment.
The exercise is expected to help the government identify schools needing attention, although the extent of the rehabilitation programme, its funding and implementation timetable were not specified in the supplied account.
The inauguration of the Oghareki institution provided another indication of the state’s investment in technical education, with the governor describing the college as a facility intended to equip young people with practical skills for employment and economic independence.
He said the college had workshops, accommodation for staff and students, and sports facilities, urging the management and students to protect the infrastructure and ensure its continued usefulness.
Oborevwori also announced plans to inaugurate three additional model technical colleges before December 2026. The proposed institutions are located at Irri in Isoko South, Kiagbodo in Burutu and Akugbene in Bomadi Local Government Areas.
At the ceremony, the governor announced a ₦50 million education support fund for Miss Ogheneovo Davina, a Junior Technical II student who addressed him on behalf of her fellow students.
Davina thanked the governor for supporting technical education and pledged that students would make effective use of the facilities to develop practical competencies and improve their prospects after graduation. She also remarked that she would have voted for the governor in the 2027 elections if she were old enough.
The governor used the occasion to highlight other projects in education, roads and healthcare, including developments at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital in Oghara and the construction of male and female hostels at Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara, and Delta State College of Education, Mosogar.
He commended former governor James Ibori for his contributions to the state’s development and called on residents to support President Bola Tinubu and other All Progressives Congress candidates in the 2027 general elections.
Ibori, in his remarks, praised Oborevwori’s development projects, particularly those in Urhobo communities. He also acknowledged former governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration for initiating the Oghareki technical college project and commended the incumbent governor for completing it.
Ibori assured Oborevwori of support from residents of Oghara and Ethiope West, expressing confidence in the governor’s leadership.
The member representing Ethiope Federal Constituency, Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, also praised the project and the decision to bring it to completion. She commended the governor for promoting unity within the APC and expressed optimism about his political prospects in 2027.
Earlier, Chairman of Ethiope West Local Government Council, Hon. Christian Onogba, described the inauguration as a significant development for the area. He said the administration’s projects and political realignment had helped strengthen cooperation across the state.
The traditional ruler of Oghara, HRM Noble Etsemitan Uku Oghara Na Me, congratulated the governor on the completion of the college.
The statewide school assessment now places renewed attention on the condition of existing public education facilities, alongside the construction of new institutions. Its impact will depend on how quickly the identified needs are translated into funded rehabilitation projects and improved learning environments.
