Senate takes action over illegal universities, read what the deputy Senate president said
– Some Nigerian universities has been functioning without legal backing
– This has caused the Senate to take action
– Senate has also directed relevant stakeholders to investigate
Senator Ike Ekweremadu
Ike Ekeremadu, the deputy Senate president on Tuesday, April 19 said institutions without legal backing is unacceptable and should be investigated.
Ekweremadu who presided over the plenary said this while making contributions on the bill for an act to establish the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE) and for other matters connected thereto, which scaled second reading.
He called on relevant stakeholders to detect institutions in the country that exist without legal backing adding that the National Assembly would not hesitate to pass bills that would legalise such institutions.
“We must look at the books to ensure that all institutions that have not been backed by law have enabling laws.
“I recall that most of the river basins do have laws establishing them and this is disturbing,” he said.
The bill was sponsored by Ovie Omo-Agege, representing Delta central senatorial district who led the debate said the university had existed without a legal framework which ought to have been done a long time ago.
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He noted the institution had been moved to its permanent site and had produced four and two sets of graduates in sciences and engineering respectively.
“Our national industrial policy has identified the oil and gas sector as key sector that requires strategic national attention. It is therefore our duty to construct its foundation with the bill.
“Our nation only made the same right decision that China made in 1953.
“China had the foresight 63 years ago to establish the China University of Petroleum (UPC) in Dongying,’’ he said.
The lawmaker further said that the various policy initiatives for development had identified local content as a vital tool for success.
He said the mission of FUPRE is to create top quality human resource to enhance local content in the oil and gas industry and to design, develop and to deliver cutting edge education and training programmes for professionals in the industry.
He said the mission is also to “engage in research, consultancy and development activities in all technical and managerial aspects of the oil and gas sector and to take the leadership role in promoting the economic development of the immediate community and the society at large through specific education, training and outreach activities.”
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However, Matthew Urhoghide representing Edo south senatorial district said the creation of the institution was apt in view of the need for people of the Niger Delta and other Nigerians to maximise their potentials in the petroleum sector.
He said the passage of the bill is in the right direction had become necessary to give the institution a legal backing for optimal performance.
Sen. George Akume representing Benue north west senatorial district said governments at all levels decided to move from establishing universities that are conventional to specialised universities like University of Technology and University of Agriculture.
However, he added that the Senate must ensure the funding of the university otherwise it will be an ordinary university.
In a similar vein, the National Universities Commission, NUC, shut down nine universities in Nigeria.
It was gathered that the publication was signed by the NUC’s executive secretary, Prof. Julius Okojie, stating that the universities which had been in existence for years, and have been used to extort money from innocent students who were giving fake certificates in return.
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