Fred Itua, Abuja
A bill for the establishment of the Nigerian Army University in Biu, Borno State, has passed first reading on the floor of the upper legislative chamber.
The bill was sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Mohammed Ali Ndume. The senator represents Borno South senatorial district, where the institution is domiciled.
A copy of the bill showed that tribe, religion and other ethnic considerations will be expunged. According to the document, admission will be merit-based.
The institution shall also be for the training and the development of middle and high-level manpower in the areas of technological empowerment for civilians, appreciation for military policy, logistics and strategy.
The university shall be supervised by the Federal Ministry of Education and shall through the National Universities Commission be responsible for approving and regulating all academic programmes run by the university.
This according to the legislation, would ensure quality compliance and provide funds for academic and research programmes, infrastructures and remunerations of employees.
It read: “No person shall be required to satisfy requirements as to race, including ethnic grouping, sex, place of birth, family origin, religious or political persuasion, as a condition for becoming or continuing to be a student at the university.
“No person shall be subjected to any disadvantage or accorded any advantage in relation to the university.”
The bill will prevent the university from imposing any restriction on anybody on accounts of religious beliefs.
The bill added that the objectives of the university shall be among others, to provide facilities for learning and give instruction and training in such branches of knowledge as the university may desire in order to ensure that students obtain the advantage of a liberal education.
It is also aimed at promoting research and other means of advancement of knowledge and its practical application to military hardware and software, social, cultural, economic, scientific and technological situations.
The university will also stimulate, particularly through teaching and research, interest in and appreciation of military policy, logistics and strategy.
The bill also stated that the university would encourage and promote scholarship and conduct research in restricted fields of learning and human endeavour including entrepreneurship skills.
It will also secure the diffusion of knowledge throughout Nigeria in general and the Nigerian Army in particular.
The university shall have powers to offer courses of instruction, training and research in the advancement of knowledge for the production of middle and high-level manpower and other skilled personnel required in further development of Nigeria in particular and the world at large
It will establish such faculties, institutes, schools, colleges, centres, extra-mural departments and other units of learning and research within the university, as it may from time to time deem necessary or desirable subject to the approval of the National Universities Commission, among others.