FEDERAL UNIVERSITY IN ABA UNDERWAY AS REPS PASS BILL TO SECOND READING
Members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday passed to second reading a bill seeking to establish a Federal University in Aba, Abia State.
The bill titled “A bill for an act to establish federal university, Aba, Abia State as a conventional university with restricted programmes, limited and focused facilities to ensure equity and access to tertiaryeducation in the country; and for other Related Matters (HB. 1232)” is being sponsored by the member representing Obingwa, Osisoma Ngwa and Ugwunagbo Ngwa federal constituency, Hon. Solomon Adaelu.
While leading the debate on the general principle of the bill, Adaelu said that Abia State lacked viable federal governmentpresence.
According to him, the only institution of higher learning owned by the federal government was Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture.
He said that Aba, due to its industrial and commercial nature needed a conventional university to enable its residents study courses like engineering and law.
“The only university in Abia is Micheal Okpara. Abians are desirous to study law, engineering and other conventional courses. Abians no longer study these course within Abia. We do not have federal government presence.
Other lawmakers who included Hon. Nkem Abonta, Hon. Nnenna Ukaje and Ossy Prestige while contributing to the debate also said that Aba deserved a federal university.
Ruling on the successful passage of the bill to second reading, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Yakubu Dogora referred it to Committee on Tertiary Education and Services for further legislative inputs.
