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| Hon. Ndudi Elumelu at the public hearing of the Bill to establish a Federal University of Technology in Asaba. |
The Minority Leader of
the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu on Thursday said the Bill
which seeks the establishment of a Federal University of Technology in Asaba
Delta State, aside providing quality technical education for the youths, will also
help to curb militancy, vandalization, thievery and all manner of banditry that
is going on in the South South.
Elumelu stated this at
the public hearing on the Bill held at the National Assembly complex.
The piece of
legislation, which was sponsored by the lawmaker, was recently passed for
second reading by the House.
In his submission,
Elumelu noted that there was no gain saying that education is the bedrock of
societal development upon which great nations build their economies.
He explained that the
desire to push for the creation of the university through legislation stems
from the need to provide more opportunities and level playing ground for all to
gain admission in Nigeria universities and to specialize in technology related
courses.
He lamented that the
failure of the country to heed earlier warnings of investing in technological
development have led to the loss of highly gifted citizens who in their quest
to seek technological knowledge migrated to other countries benefitting those
countries to Nigeria’s detriment.
The lawmaker said:
”When this university is established, it will be the first and only University
of Technology in the whole of the South South region and the only federal
university in Asaba. It is therefore incumbent on us to note that the
establishment of this university will help to open the floodgate for technology
development and transfer in the South-South geo political zone and neighboring
states within the boundaries of the zone.
”The National Assembly
as an arm of government, owes it as a duty to draw the nation’s attention to
the need for the continuous investment in the areas of technology as such
investment will not only build our economy but enhance our image and standing
and place us in a proper stead in the comity of nations.
”The major reason for
the migration of our valued man power is the lack of adequate University of
Technology in the country to cater for the need of our citizens. I therefore
stand here today to push for the repeal of paragraph(m) of the first schedule of
the Federal College of Education Act, cap F8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria
2004 , which established the College of Education (Technical) Asaba, Delta State
and for the re-enactment of the Federal University of Technology, Asaba, Delta
State so as to provide students in the state and environs the opportunity of
gaining broad technological knowledge and practices that will equip them with
solutions to modern day challenges as well as prepare them for technological
related careers in the nearest future,” the Minority Leader posited
While urging Nigerians
to support the bill, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu who also represents Anioch/Oshimili
Federal Constituency also said that establishing the university would be also a
way of compensating and encouraging the youths as well as giving back to them
for what they give to the nation.
Meanwhile the Bill at
the hearing got the support of the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) and
the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, SSANU.
The public hearing
which was declared open by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt.
Hon. Femi Gbajabaimila, was attended by a delegation of critical stakeholders
from Delta State.
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