Felicity Okpete Ovai (born 1961) is an

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the limit ...

and

academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, ...

from Degema, Rivers State in

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

. A member of the

Rivers State People's Democratic Party The Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party, also referred to as Rivers PDP, is the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (Nigeria), Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State, Nigeria. It is currently chaired by businessman and Philanthrop ...

, she was the first woman to be appointed Commissioner of Works, serving from 2003 to 2006.

Education

Ovai completed her

secondary education Secondary education or post-primary education covers two phases on the International Standard Classification of Education scale. Level 2 or lower secondary education (less commonly junior secondary education) is considered the second and final pha ...

at Holy Rosary Secondary School (now Holy Rosary College) in Port Harcourt. She received a

B.Tech A Bachelor of Technology (Latin ''Baccalaureus Technologiae'', commonly abbreviated as B.Tech. or BTech; with honours as B.Tech. (Hons.)) is an undergraduate academic degree conferred after the completion of a three to five-year program of stud ...

Agricultural Engineering Agricultural engineering, also known as agricultural and biosystems engineering, is the field of study and application of engineering science and designs principles for agriculture purposes, combining the various disciplines of mechanical, civil, ...

from the

Rivers State University of Science and Technology Rivers State University (RVSU or RSU), formerly Rivers State University of Science and Technology (UST or RSUST), is a university located in the Diobu (Mile III) area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. As of 2021, the vice chancello ...

and a Master of Mechanical Engineering degree from the

University of Port Harcourt The University of Port Harcourt is located in Choba in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, Nigeria. It was established in 1975 as University College, Port Harcourt and was given university status in 1977. The University of Port Harcourt was rank ...

Career

Ovai has held various positions of responsibility in Rivers State. She served as first woman Commissioner of Works in the Executive Council of Rivers State from 2003 to 2006. While in office, she oversaw the commencement of a number of road construction projects in the state including work on the road connecting Ogoni,

Andoni Andoni is a Local Government Area in Rivers State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is at NgoTown. It has an area of over 233 km and a population of over 311,500 at the last census. The postal code of the area is 504. The current Executive Chairman ...

, and

Opobo–Nkoro Opobo/Nkoro is a Local Government Area in Rivers State, Nigeria. It is part of the Andoni/Gokana/Khana/Oyigbo/Tai/Eleme constituency of the Nigerian National Assembly delegation from Rivers The Nigerian National Assembly delegation from Rivers ...

generally christened Unity Road which totaled about ₦11.8 billion. On 2 December 2006, it was reported that Okpete Ovai alongside Shedrack Akalokwu, a Special Adviser to

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Peter Odili and Wilson Ake, a member of House of the Representatives had been cleared by the People's Democratic Party to participate in its

Rivers West Rivers West senatorial district is one of the three senatorial districts in Rivers State, Nigeria. It is currently represented by Betty Okagua Apiafi. District profile The district covers the local government areas of Abua–Odual, Ahoada East, Ah ...

senatorial A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the e ...

primary election. In February 2016, Ovai was appointed a member of the Rivers State Roads Maintenance and Rehabilitation Agency by Governor

Ezenwo Nyesom Wike Ezenwo Nyesom Wike (born 13 December 1967), is a Nigerian politician and lawyer who is the sixth and current Governor of Rivers State. He is an Ikwerre from Rumuepirikom in Obio-Akpor, Rivers State. He is a member of the People's Democratic ...

. She is also a member of various professional bodies, such as Nigeria Society of Engineers,

Institute of Mechanical Engineers The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) is an independent professional association and learned society headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that represents mechanical engineers and the engineering profession. With over 120,000 member ...

and Society of Agricultural Engineers.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ovai, Felicity Okpete 1961 births Living people People from Degema Holy Rosary College alumni Rivers State University alumni Engineers from Rivers State Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party politicians Rivers State Commissioners of Works Nigerian women engineers Nigerian women academics Nigerian Christians University of Port Harcourt alumni Women government ministers of Nigeria 21st-century women engineers

Education

Career

See also

References