Udora Orizu in Abuja
The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, said yesterday that the bill, which seeks the establishment of a Federal University of Technology in Asaba, Delta State, would provide quality technical education for the youths and help to curb militancy, vandalisation, thievery and all manner of banditry going on in the South South.
Elumelu stated this at the public hearing on the bill, which was held at the National Assembly complex.
The piece of legislation, which was sponsored by the lawmaker, recently passed for second reading by the House.
He noted that there is no gainsay 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 is to provide more opportunities and level playing ground for all to gain admission in Nigerian universities and to specialise in technology related courses.
Elumelu 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 at 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 for us to note that the establishment of this university will help to open the floodgate for technology development and transfer in the geo political zone and 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.
“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, 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.’’
