By Iyke Obi Durumba
The Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND on Wednesday held a public hearing on two bills to establish the University of Aerospace and Aeronautics, Oka Akoko, Ondo State and the Institute of Information and Communication Technology, Suleja Niger State.
While declaring the public hearing open, the Senate President, Sen. Ahmad Lawan said the bills will enhance the capacity of citizens to deploy human capacity quotient in overcoming every day challenges.
He said, “The two bills would certainly go a long way in distilling and enhancing the spread of educational infrastructure in diverse demographies to serve different contexts while balancing access to education thereby closing the gap in knowledge and indigenous know-how in aerospace and information technology.”
In his own remarks, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, Sen. Ahmad Babba Kaita stressed the need for the development of manpower to meet the needs of the country. He affirmed the Senate’s commitment in ensuring a high impact legislation that would provide sound, virile and sustainable input that would meet the aspirations of Nigeria’s teeming youths.
Sen. Kaita also said that the aim of the public hearing was to “aggregate stakeholders’ views and to x-ray strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with the bills.” He urged all stakeholders to use the public hearing as platform to brainstorm and make positive contributions towards achieving the desired objectives.
Several position papers were presented at the hearing while traditional rulers from Oka Akoko Ondo State and Suleja Niger State where the prospective institutions are to be located were also present.
It will be recalled that the Bill for the establishment of the Aerospace and Aeronautics University passed Second Reading on the floor of the Senate last December. The Bill’s sponsor, Sen. Ajayi Borofice is a native of Oka Akoko and represents Ondo North Senatorial zone.
The Bill for the establishment of the Institute of Information and Communication Technology, Suleja Niger State is sponsored by Sen. Sani Musa (APC, Niger East). The Senate Committee also commiserated with Sen. Musa who was recently bereaved.
In his closing remarks, Sen. Ahmad Babba Kaita noted the unanimity in opinions from stakeholders and promised speedy passage of the Bills.
