Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta has called on private organisations to partner with the state government to address infrastructural needs in the state-owned universities.

Mr Oborevwori made the call on Saturday at the 17th convocation ceremony of the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka.

The governor acknowledged the recurring issues of the infrastructural gap in the university. He assured that the state government would do everything within its available resources to address some of the challenges.

He noted that the government alone cannot tackle the challenges, hence the need to adopt the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) system to deliver universities that can compete globally.

“With the increasing need for infrastructure in our universities, there is a need for stakeholders to collaborate with the government to address the challenges.

“Government cannot do it alone; with an effective PPP, we shall deliver the university of our dreams,” he said.

Mr Oborevwori assured that the state government would redouble its efforts to complement the university’s authority to continually support research, teaching excellence and enhanced student learning.

The governor commended the vice-chancellor of DELSU, Samuel Asagba, for the development he had brought to the university within a short time in office.

Mr Oborevwori also commended the university’s governing council for their focus, dedication, and unwavering commitment to building a first-class university.

Earlier, the pro-chancellor and chairman of the council, Alexander Ogomudia (Rtd), said the university faced numerous challenges, including inadequate staffing and infrastructure deficit, such as a lack of essential and current equipment in some laboratories and water and power supply.

(NAN)