Bill to establish federal varsity of science in Gombe scales second reading at Senate

A bill to establish the Federal University of Science Deba, Gombe State has scaled second reading in the Senate.

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This followed the presentation of the lead debate on the general principles of the bill by the sponsor, Danjuma Goje (APC-Gombe Central) during plenary on Tuesday in Abuja.

Leading the debate, Mr Goje a former governor of the state, said that the bill was read for the first time on Wednesday, 2 July.

He said: “You will all agree with me the importance of education in the socio-economic development of any country cannot be overemphasised

“And for any country to align with global educational dynamics, adequate preparation needs to be put in place.

“It is along this line that this bill has been developed to establish the Federal University of Science Deba, Gombe State, North-eastern Nigeria”.

He said that the proposed university would provide the requisite knowledge and expertise that would drive modern scientific innovations in Nigeria.

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“The objectives of the university as outlined in the bill among others include to demonstrate scientific knowledge, skills, attitude and experience especially in their professional disciplines.with global mindset using critical thinking and problem-solving approaches.”

Mr Goje further said that there was a strong justification that Nigeria needed more universities, specifically specialised universities, for its necessary development among the comity of nations.

‘That is, if the country wants to compete with other developed nations economically, scientifically and technologically, it needs additional higher institutions of learning especially the type this bill seeks to establish.

“Having this type of university in this part of Nigeria, the North-east, with a faculty for Petroleum/Petrochemical Sciences and Engineering is promising to the future of Petroleum Industry for personnel, research and development,” he said.

In his remarks, the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, commended the sponsor of the bill on his passion for the educational development of Gombe State and the North-east in general.

He, thereafter, referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TetFund for further legislative actions and to report back in four weeks.

If the bill for proposed institution is passed by both chambers of the National Assembly and assented to by the President, it will add to the other one already established by the federal government.

There is one federal university in Gombe State – Federal University of Kashere.

More institutions, poor funding

There are several bills before the Senate and the House of Representatives requesting the establishment of tertiary institutions, including universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

While some have been passed, others are still at various stages of legislation in both chambers.

In the two years of his administration, President Bola Tinubu has established about 12 tertiary institutions, including eight universities, two Polytechnics and two colleges of education.

The institutions include the Federal University of Health Sciences and Technology in Tsafe, Zamfara State; Federal University of Sports, Afuze, Edo State; Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Kwale, Delta State; Federal University of Agriculture, Mubi, Adamawa State; Federal University in Southern Kaduna and Federal University of Environment and Technology (FUET) Tai, Rivers State.

Others are Federal University of Agriculture and Development Studies, Iragbiji, Osun State; Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences, Iyin Ekiti, Ekiti State; Federal Polytechnic Rano, Kano State; Bola Tinubu Polytechnic, Gwarimpa, FCT; Federal College of Education, Ilawe Ekiti, Ekiti State; and Federal College of Education, Ididep, Ibiono, Akwa Ibom State.

However, the bill establishing some of them were signed by former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Some critics are worried that more institutions are being established when the existing ones are groaning under poor funding. Some of them cannot pay electricity bills.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Tuesday, directed its members in branches where June salaries remain unpaid to stay away from work, warning that a nationwide strike could commence if the government continues to delay wage payments.