Senate President Godswill Akpabio has assured Nigerians of quality legislation that would boost tertiary institutions nationwide.
He spoke at a one-day public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TetFund held in Abuja on Tuesday.
The hearing was on five bills, including “the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Manchok, Kaduna State (Establishment) Bill, 2024 (SB.13).
“The Nigerian Institute of Mining and Geosciences (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2024 (SB.12).”
Declaring the event open, Mr Akpabio, represented by Senator Gbenga Daniel (APC-Ogun), said the Senate would not relent in giving Nigerians quality legislation to ensure access to education for all.
He commended the bills’ sponsors, saying the bills would add to the number of tertiary institutions in the country.
“This effort is in line with our mandate to review the availability of facilities for our great population and provide the required manpower for development.
“It is expected from you as Nigerians and, most especially, stakeholders in the education sector and representatives of the host communities to air their views on the need to establish these schools.
“Let me assure you that the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions will consider the memoranda sent in by organisations to serve as the basis for the actualisation of these institutions,” the Senate president said.
Senator Sunday Katung (PDP-Kaduna) sponsored the bill on the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Manchok, Kaduna State.
He said the establishment of the university, with its unique focus on (a specific field and approach), held immense promise for the people of Kaduna South Senatorial District.
Mr Katung said that given the transformative role education played in the development of every nation and society, the university was poised to channel the untapped potential of individuals into the most beneficial avenues of growth.
He said the urgent need to establish the university was underscored by the stark reality that despite the significant population of the senatorial district, the opportunities for tertiary education were severely limited.
“Many of our ambitious students are forced to seek tertiary education outside the state.
“This pressing issue further accentuates the necessity of a federal tertiary institution within my senatorial district,” he said.
He said the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Manchok, was designed to identify and address society’s technological challenges and needs.
Senator Diket Plang (APC-Plateau) sponsored the Nigerian Institute of Mining and Geosciences (Repeal and Enactment) Bill.
He decried that while the country was looking to diversify the economy by utilizing the gains of the mining sector, cases of illegal mining were recorded.
Mr Plang said that the proposed bill, when passed into law, would support efforts to position the mining sector as a viable one for diversifying the economy away from its excessive dependence on income from crude oil export.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau also commended the bill on the Institute of Mining and Geosciences and called for the diversification of the economy away from crude oil.
“The biggest potential of driving the economy is the mining sector. The time has come to put organize the sector,” he said.
Earlier, chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TetFund, Sen.Muhammed Dandutse, said one of the agenda of the 10th Senate was to focus on advancing education and technology.
He said this was through establishing and reformating key educational institutions across the country.
Mr Dandutse urged stakeholders in the sector to work together toward building a brighter future for Nigeria through strategic investments in education, technology and industry.
(NAN)
