By Godwin Oghre

Oghara—Following the financial challenges facing private universities in the country, the Vice Chancellor of Western Delta University, Oghara, Delta State, Prof. Otete Okobiah, has linked the paucity of funds in running private universities to the inability of the various tiers of government to pay workers’ salaries as at when due.

President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the opening of a 2-day National Economic Council Retreat at the Statehouse Conference Centre on 21st March 2016.

Prof Okobiah during the official handing over ceremony of the Vice Chancellorship of the university to her, by the former acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Fredrick Opute, noted “Universities, particularly the private ones, across the country are experiencing paucity of funds due to students’ inability to promptly pay their fees because their parents are no longer able to make the fees available to them.

“The reason is that their parents are not being promptly paid their salaries by government and the private sector. As such, the schools are now partly bearing the burden of poor payment of workers’ salaries in the country.”

Meanwhile, Prof. Okobiah appealed to the staff of tertiary institutions and parents to resort to prayers so that God will provide the funds to effectively run private schools in the country.