By Clara Egbogota
Asaba – The Delta Ministry of Higher Education says it will partner with the state government-owned tertiary institutions to produce items that would impact positively on people’s lives.
Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, the State Commissioner for Higher Education, made this known on Tuesday in Asaba.
Muoboghare spoke at the inspection of the workshops in the Centre for Entrepreneur Studies of Delta State University, Abraka, where quality face marks were being produced.
He said that such partnership would not only provide the institutions with the much needed funds, but would also equip the students with adequate skills for their future endeavours.
“We will reach out to the Jobs Creation office to work out modalities on how the products of the office will have opportunity of acquiring more skills from the centre.
“The mass production of face masks and hand sanitisers will go a long way in making the items available and cheaper in the market at a time when the items were in high demands due to COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have already reached out to our colleagues in the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education on the need to patronise the institution for face masks for its pupils and students,” he said.
Muoboghare urged all state-owned tertiary institutions to key into the laudable programme of entrepreneurship in their various institutions.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Andy Egweunyeaga, said that the centre was established to train students on skill acquisition outside their academic disciplines as well as non-students interested in handwork.
Egwunyenga said the centre has the capacity to produce 15, 000 face masks in one week.
“The Faculty of Pharmacy, in collaboration with the Department of Health Sciences, has already started the production of hand sanitisers for public use.
“The centre has facilities to train students in soap making, food processing, poultry production, amongst others,” he said.
The vice-chancellor said that acquisition of such skills would equip graduates with the wherewithal to be employers of labour.
“On resumption, all students must wear face masks in the campus and observe other protocols that will stem the tide of the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
“I commend the management and staff of the university for their cooperation.
“I pray for its sustenance as this is the only way to move the institution to a higher ground,” he said.
Egwunyenga called on the citizenry to observe all the necessary protocols in order to stem the spread of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the entire world.
NAN)
