By KINGSLEY OKOYE

The Senate has passed for second reading, a bill to establish the Federal University of Okigwe, Imo.

This followed the presentation of the general principles of the bill by the sponsor Sen. Ndubueze Patrick (APC ? Imo North) at plenary on Thursday.

Patrick said the bill sought to provide for establishment of Federal University, Okigwe, Imo.

According to him, the school will be saddled with the main function of providing quality education that will train the younger generation in different professional fields both at graduate and post graduate levels.

He listed the fields to include agriculture, environmental sciences, epidemiology and virology, robotics and nuclear technology.

The lawmaker said the training of the young Nigerians on the courses would not only reduce unemployment, but also guarantee food security for the host state and the nation at large.

Patrick said the proposed site for the federal university had a first phase built up with structures meant for the unrealised engineering faculty which had been abandoned.

He said the Imo Government had graciously granted approval for all the facilities to be taken over by the proposed federal university.

Patrick said that the state government?s gesture would result in a minimal initial cost outlay to start the institution.

?The location is a large expanse of land in a serene environment on the bank of Imo River; away from the hustle, bustle and noise associated with the city.

?It is therefore suitable for research and learning; the establishment of a Federal University in Okigwe zone in Imo North will come with employment of junior workers from the area.

?This will reduce youth unemployment and bring the incidence of insecurity to a manageable level.?

He said the arable nature of the area would be of immense benefit to the proposed federal university in the area of agricultural research and production.

?The university, if put in place, will complement the inadequate opportunity for university education provided by the few tertiary institutions in the South-East zone.

?It will thus give the south easterners a sense of belonging and enhance national unity, since admission will cut across Nigeria as a whole.??

According to him, the objectives of the university, among others, include provision of higher education for qualified JAMB candidates who have been repeatedly sitting for the exams due to lack of vacancy for admission.

?Other objectives are provision of relevant professional courses and training research in agriculture, fisheries, environmental sciences and technology and more importantly nuclear technology.

?Also to be provided are cancer and health related studies with well- equipped faculties and departments to give the students required knowledge in the specialised fields,? he said.

He said the establishment of the school would help improve food security considering proximity of the university to Imo River.

He urged lawmakers to support the bill for its second reading.

President of Senate, Godswill Akpabio, shortly after the bill was read the second time, referred it to Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND for further legislative inputs and to be returned to plenary in four weeks. (NAN)

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