NUC grants full accreditation to Western Delta University

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has granted full license to Western Delta University (WDU) in Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State to operate as a private university

Western Delta University was the dream of former governor of the state, Chief James Ibori, and metamorphosed into reality through the efforts of a non-profit making organisation, the Urhobo Advancement Foundation (UAF).

The university has been operating on a provisional license granted in 2007 until August 13, this year when NUC granted the full license for it to operate as a private institution of higher learning, according to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Austin Asagba.

Addressing a press conference at the university’s temporary site, Prof. Asagba said with the granting of full license, the institution has been galvanized to meet the higher education needs of the people in the Niger Delta in particular, and the country in general.

“We will never lose sight of our mission and vision to our people in the Niger Delta. We have repositioned ourselves because the full license has galvanized us to knowing that we have a responsibility to our people in the Niger Delta area and the country as a whole.

“We have come up with a new plans in terms of what we are going to do next, and luckily we are expanding quickly. We have two new colleges that are coming which are colleges of humanities and law.

“The two new colleges will complement the existing two colleges, that is College of Natural and Applied Sciences and College of Social and Management Sciences. We are going to expand in terms of population, innovation and ideas.

“We are coming with a new strategy where higher education is functional and serviceable to the local community. We are not just special in terms of our academic contents but the in terms of the nurturing strategies that we are putting in place,” he said.

He gave the assurance that by March, next year, the university will be operating from its permanent site, and that work on the permanent site has reached advanced stages, noting that the movement which will be in phases will commence in earnest.

Prof. Asagba explained that the university had its first matriculation ceremony with 150 students, adding that it’s first gradation ceremony was held in 2013.

He gave the current student population as 1,500, adding with the introduction of the two colleges, the population would likely increase to 2,500.