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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives is proposing the establishment of no fewer than 211 new universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and monotechnics across the country.
The private member bills for the establishment of the tertiary institutions, most of which are awaiting second reading, were introduced in the House between July 5, 2023 and March 20, 2024, when the parliament went on its last break.
A breakdown revealed that the proposed legislation is seeking the establishment of 53 new federal universities, while 158 bills are for the establishment of polytechnics, colleges of education, colleges of agriculture and other monotechnics.
Investigations revealed that while most members have one bill for establishment of tertiary institutions in their constituencies, some of them, including the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, and his deputy, Benjamin Kalu, have two or more proposals for schools within and outside their constituencies.
For instance, the speaker, who represents Zaria Federal Constituency of Kaduna State, has bills for the establishment of the Federal University of Technology, Kaduna; and the Federal University of Technology, Lagos.
Similarly, Kalu, who represents Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State is proposing the establishment of the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Bende, Abia State; Federal College of Education, Bende, Abia State, and Federal University of Agriculture, Mpu, Enugu State, among others.
There are currently 52 federal universities, 40 federal polytechnics, 27 federal colleges of education, and 17 federal colleges of agriculture, in existence in the country, among several monotechnics.
However, if the bills are passed by the Green chamber and they get the concurrence of the Senate, as well as President Bola Tinubu’s assent, the number of federal universities will increase to 105.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has repeatedly kicked against the establishment of new universities, especially as, according to it, the existing ones are underfunded.
Nevertheless, Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Akin Rotimi Jnr, told Daily Sun that it was not the House, but individual members that were proposing the establishment of the new tertiary institutions in their constituencies.
While insisting that it was within the right of the lawmakers to sponsor bills for tertiary institutions, Rotimi said the parliament would look at the proposals and take decisions on them.
He added that in as much the government is talking about streamlining agencies, there are several areas in the country that are in dire need of educational institutions.
“It is not the House that is proposing this bill; it is the individual members that are proposing what they believe is in the best interest of their constituencies and their constituents. And it is for them to marshal out the points and arguments, why they think that should be prioritised.
“It is a fact that we are trying to save costs of government, streamline agencies of government and all of that, but the truth is that a lot of areas in the country are under served. There are a lot of areas that need medical institutions.
“There are many areas that also need educational institutions and people believe that a lot of these things have a historical context; they have been agitating for a long time. So, it is for them to bring it before the House so that the House, in its collective wisdom, will determine if it is going forward or not.”
