Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has described technical and vocational education as a critical tool for addressing youth unemployment, saying graduates of such institutions will emerge as skilled professionals, entrepreneurs and employers of labour rather than job seekers.
The governor spoke on Monday at the inauguration of the Model Technical College, Omadino, in Warri South Local Government Area, describing the institution as a flagship investment in technical and vocational education by his administration.
Oborevwori said some achievements were best appreciated when seen rather than spoken about, noting that within two years, his administration had delivered landmark projects without borrowing or imposing additional burdens on the people of Delta State.
“Even I am often amazed at how much we have been able to achieve within two years without borrowing and without burdening the people. This project we are commissioning today is a clear example of prudent management. Contractors were paid promptly, and that is why delivery was timely,” he said.
The governor disclosed that academic activities had commenced at the college before its formal commissioning, a development he said underscored the facility’s readiness and full functionality.
According to him, the college represents a major milestone in advancing technical and vocational education in the state, reflecting clarity of vision, strategic planning and disciplined execution.
He noted that the institution’s internal road network, administrative blocks, classrooms, workshops and laboratories demonstrated his administration’s commitment to quality education.
Oborevwori commended his predecessor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, for initiating the project and said his administration ensured its completion to the required standard.
“Today, I am pleased to see a beautiful and solid edifice standing proudly. We give God all the glory. Any student, lecturer or staff member would be proud to be associated with this institution,” he said.
The governor also praised the quality of training at the college, citing the confidence and articulation of a student who spoke earlier at the event as evidence of effective teaching and learning.
He emphasized that modern educational infrastructure was essential for a conducive learning environment, improved student performance and enhanced teacher effectiveness.
“With the high-quality facilities provided here, I am confident that students of this college can compete with the best anywhere in the world. All workshops and laboratories are fully equipped with state-of-the-art facilities,” Oborevwori added.
Reaffirming his commitment to education under the MORE Agenda, the governor assured Deltans that his administration would continue to upgrade educational infrastructure across the state to ensure access to functional education and globally relevant skills.
He, however, urged the management, staff, students and host communities to ensure proper maintenance of the facilities, stressing that government property represented the commonwealth of the people and must be protected from vandalism and neglect.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Technical Education, Mr. Smart Ufoh, described the Omadino Model Technical College as more than a modern technical school, calling it a bold statement of purpose and a symbol of transformation.
He said the institution had 12 classrooms and nine fully equipped workshops, alongside two hostel blocks, staff quarters, a principal’s lodge and a corps members’ lodge to ensure a conducive learning environment.
Other facilities include a dining hall, clinic, spacious school hall, football pitch and basketball court, as well as support infrastructure such as a generator house and operational quarters.
Ufoh disclosed that academic activities commenced in September 2025 with the admission of Junior Technical One students to prevent the facilities from lying idle, adding that the response from Omadino community and beyond had been overwhelming.
Also speaking, Chairman of Warri South Local Government Council, Hon. Weyinmi Agbateyiniro, commended the governor for his people-centred leadership and development projects across the state.
He described the commissioning of the college as a landmark achievement, alongside major projects such as the Trans-Warri Road and Bridges, extensive road networks, improved drainage systems and the near-completed Warri Modern Stadium.
Agbateyiniro said development projects had reached all parts of the state within three years, adding that the people of Warri South remained firmly behind the governor ahead of 2027.
The Olu of Warri, HRM Ogiame Atuwatse III, thanked Oborevwori for his commitment to the development of riverine communities and urged him to sustain investments in schools, bridges, roads and jetties across riverine areas.
Speaking on behalf of the students, Miss Courtney Omotoyine described the commissioning as the fulfillment of a long-held dream and a major step toward securing the future of young people in Delta State and Nigeria.
Dignitaries at the event included the Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme; Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor; and Speakers of the Edo, Bayelsa and Anambra State Houses of Assembly.
