Delta ready for state policing, spends N34bn on police stations’ buildings

…approves construction of nine hostels in state-owned institutions

Delta State Government is set to build N34 billion worth of modern Divisional Police Headquarters in the 25 Local Government Areas of the State as well as establish Special Police Protection Unit (SPU), to further strengthen security architecture ahead of the implementation of the Federal Government Policy on State Policing.

At the State Executive Council meeting presided by Gov Sheriff Oborevwori, Friday, the approval was given for the commencement of the state-of-the-art-art facilities in line with the MORE Agenda his administration, to further secure the lives of the people. Each of the LGA in the state would get one of such facilities

Charles Aniagwu, Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, flanked by Godknows Angele Commissioner for Housing, and others, briefed the media at the end of the meeting, saying, “Even though Delta today ranks as one of the most secure and safest States to live in Nigeria, our Government believes that we need to take it a notch higher.

“With the Federal Government favourably disposed to allowing state policing across the country, there is the need for us to move ahead of others, and that is why the approval has been given.”

He added that the Commissioner for Housing had been directed to commence necessary processes to ensure the projects are executed without delay. The Council also approved several other projects across different sectors, including road infrastructure in riverine communities, aimed at improving connectivity and boosting socio-economic development across the State.

Godknows Angele, in his contribution, said his Ministry would be busy with the supervision of the approved projects in the coming days, weeks and months and ensure quality jobs are done for the betterment of the people of the State.

Meanwhile, apart of efforts to address accommodation challenges faced by students, Delta State Government has approved the construction of male and female hostels across nine state-owned tertiary institutions.

Nyerhovwo Tonukari, Commissioner for Higher Education, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the end of the State Executive Council (Exco) meeting presided over by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.

Tonukari, a Professor, described the decision as a significant step forward for students and their parents, noting that the rising student population in the State’s tertiary institutions had made hostel accommodation a pressing need.

He said recent figures presented during the convocation ceremonies of the three newly established universities in the State showed that the three institutions alone currently have about 40,000 students.

Thus, he said ,the growing enrollment had placed enormous pressure on available accommodation facilities within the universities.

Tonukari noted that Delta State University, Abraka currently has more than 35,000 students, while its hostel facilities can only accommodate about 2,000 students, adding that the newer universities have even fewer hostel spaces, capable of housing only a few hundred students.