DR. OBOREH AND HIS TRANSFORMATIONAL INITIATIVES IN DELTA STATE POLYTECHNIC OZORO

By Sunday Ogbaoyibo—-EDUCATION

Dr. Jacob Snapps Oboreh is an Associate Professor and the Rector of Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro from March 29^th 2012 till date (2016) and his transformational initiatives in the school within this short period of time is overwhelmingly tremendous; both in physical and infrastructural development.

As at today most of projects initiated are already completed in record time; while many others are ongoing, and one of such huge projects is the ten thousand sitting capacity stadium with tracks, seats and full roof cover, remodeling of the main gate, workshop for general public with alignment and wheel balancing equipment. He is also constructing a Hall for the Department of Banking and Finance which according to him will be completed in no distance time.

The school in the areas of academic developments and programmes is presently having 5 schools, twenty-one departments and thirty programmes approved and accredited by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). Interestingly, the school, now have automated teaching methods and computation of results that now enables all departments to mail results to Parents/Guardians-This is another innovation by the school under Dr. J.S. Oboreh which is yet to be achieved by other higher institutions across the country.

In a bid to achieve academic excellence and to provide students conducive environment needed for academic activities, the Oboreh led administration in DSPZ has completed so many projects which could be itemized as follows:

Purchase of Back-up truck and Fire fighting station; Rehabilitation of Polytechnic Annex Complex; Extension of existing library; House for generating set and erection of water tower for new administrative building; Mass Communication studio building; 260 capacity lecture theatre for Science and Laboratory Technology; Model supermarket; Purchase of two fire fighting trucks; purchase of a D6 Bulldozer and Excavator to ease construction and the sand filling of the polytechnic swamp and clearing the entire forest.

Also in the list of completed projects are- Computer Information Technology Laboratory with internet centre; Mechanical/Electrical Workshop Building; Polytechnic Senior Staff Club Building; SUG Building; Accountancy Laboratory furnished with 160 computers; Business Administration Complex (4 Lecture Theatre); Department of Banking and Finance (4 Lecture Theatre and Academic Staff Office Building); part of 1.3 kilometer perimeter fence; four blocks of 260 capacity lecture theatre for Marketing Department; Extension of Health Centre, Department of Office Technology and Management Complex (4 lecture theatre and a multi-purpose laboratory building); event/convention Arena with 6 pavilions, purchase of sixteen operational cars for Dean of school and Directors of programmes and with furnishing of all lecture theater halls and staff offices.

Others are the gigantic Central Admin Complex- two storey building with over seventy-two offices; laterite filling and interlocking around the new Administrative Building; Entrepreneurial center with pilot workshops and perimeter fence; showroom Building in Entrepreneurial centre; two additional blocks of pilot workshops for entrepreneurial centre; Goatry house, fish hatchery building and two earth ponds; perimeter fencing of oil mill, twin lecture hall for Accountancy Department and the extension of a CIT building.

It also is pertinent to state here that, all the projects were completed through Internally Generated Revenue even as Dr. Jacob Snapps Oboreh acknowledged the immediate past Governor of Delta State, His Excellency Dr. Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan for his magnanimity in allowing the school authority to use their IGR without any form of interference just as he commended Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Authur Okowa in same line and for the release of 100 million Naira to the school to further enhance the speedy completion of the magnificent stadium being embarked on by the school which according to him will be also completed between June/July 2016.

The Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro has no doubt become the fastest growing institution in Nigeria with numerous modern architectural facilities and befitting structures; a visit to campus two of the school will convince you of the massive transformation and developmental strides, hence the institution has been described as an institution where buildings/structures grows like trees under Oboreh’s headship.

Again, the vision of the school is to become a world-class institution that offers 21^st century academic and technological programmes supported with state of the art Scientific/Technological equipment and facilities comparable to the standard of other institution anywhere in the world. Attention is focused on the need to provide excellent hands-on-skills training of students and improve their capability to create research directed towards meeting the new challenges of the development of the Nigerian Nation. This, the school has pursue with optimistic vigor and in line with her mission to offer technologically driven programmes for the award of National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and competency certificates.

It could be recalled that, the Rector, Dr. Oboreh had during the 14^th Matriculation ceremony of the school for 2015/2016 session that was held on the 18^th of March 2016 expressed delight over the achievement recorded so far, urging the students to take their studies very serious said: “This can serve as a spring board for further studies-I am proud of being where I am today, an Associate Professor, and I was once a student like you here in the defunct Ozoro Polytechnic many years ago; Behold, I am the Rector today. Work hard to achieve academic success”.

The Rector has in his capacity organized for the maiden and second convocation ceremony since her inception in 2002 and great success were recorded in the two convocations, thereby adding to the students’ experience of an important ceremony in academia. This also has encouraged research, learning and practical engagement of students towards achieving academic excellence; as they strive hard to see their names published in the convocation programme cum register.

Historically, the Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro was established by law enacted by the Delta State Government on November 12, 2002 during the administration of His Excellency, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, the then Executive Governor of Delta State. The Polytechnic was one of the four tertiary institutions established at the same time by the administration in its desire and quest to meet the yearnings of Deltans for the acquisition of qualitative education which could not be satisfied by the existing Federal and State Tertiary institutions.

However, before the Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro came into being, there was a Polytechnic named Ozoro Polytechnic established by the Administration of Professor Ambrose Alli, Governor of the defunct Bendel State; but, the Polytechnic was short lived as it was phased out and after some years the Delta State College of Agriculture, Ozoro was established. This College of Agriculture was eventually integrated and subsequently absorbed into the Delta State Polytechnic Ozoro in 2002.

Today, that modest beginning has changed as the Delta State Polytechnic; Ozoro has now been transformed into a definitive citadel of learning with distinction in teaching, learning and research capabilities directed at meeting the needs of students and the society. To this end, the giant developmental strides of Dr. Jacob Snapps Oboreh in DZPZ speak volume of accelerated transformation in the institution which has unequivocally written his name in gold.