Director,Onicha Ugbo Community Study Centre,Dr. Osasere Owen-Sogolo (2nd Right),presenting a souvenir to the chairman,Aniocha North-Local Government Area,Hon.Kelvin Okwechime during the visit
The Director, Onicha Ugbo Study Centre, Aniocha North Local Government Area, Delta State, Dr. Osasere Owen-Sogolo, has called on the local government council to beef up security around the study centre to forestall incessant attacks on the facility by men of the underworld.
Owen-Sogolo made the plea when she led a selected number of senior staff of her centre to pay a courtesy visit to the chairman, Aniocha North Local Government Area, Hon. Kelvin Okwechime, on Monday, September 19, 2022.
Explaining the purpose of her visit, the centre director said that they were at the council headquarters to give respect to the chairman as the chief executive officer of the local government area where her study centre is domiciled and to formally inform him that the Onicha Ugbo Study Centre of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has commenced operation, adding that “admission is currently on.”
She highlighted the mode of operation of the university and the study centre, clarifying that admission into the university does not require JAMB or post-UTME exams, but five Senior Secondary Certificate Exams credits, including English Language and Mathematics for admission into any of the Bachelor degree programmes, as well as relevant qualifications into Master and PhD programmes.
Dr.Owen-Sogolo (Standing) addressing her host during the visit
Owen-Sogolo called on the residents of the local government area and its environs to take advantage of the proximity of the Onicha Ugbo Study Centre to enroll for programmes of their choice in the West Africa’s premier Open and Distance Learning (ODL) university.
She explained that the study centre is a community study centre. This, she explained, means that the community is expected to sustain the operations of the centre by providing most of its facilities and ensuring that all installations and equipment are adequately secured.
“The study centre is currently experiencing security challenges as it has been attacked by armed robbers at about 12.30 a.m on the 28th of June, 2022, who carted away valuables including a power generating set,” she said, adding that at 10.30 p.m on the 5th of September, 2022, highway robbers blocked the Asaba/Agbor Road, directly in front of the study centre, robbing road users, vandalising vehicles and in the process got the skull of a driver broken.
Owen-Sogolo, therefore, prayed Okwechime to assist the study centre by installing Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras and solar-powered security light at the centre, as well as mobilising the community security outfit (vigilante) to boost security at the centre and its environs.
In his response, Okwechime promised to put forward the centre’s request for deliberations at the council meeting and thereafter revert to the centre director.
