The Senate has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to look favourably towards a bill for the establishment of the Federal College of Education, Bassambiri, in Bayelsa State by signing it into law.
The Senate through its Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND made the call as it considered and passed two other separate bills for second reading at a one-day public hearing.
Addressing the gathering, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ahmad Babba Kaita, expressed optimism that with the level of work put into the document, the bills should be assented to by the President when eventually passed by the Senate.
Senator Degi Eremienyo Biobaraku Wangagra, APC, representing Bayelsa East is the proud sponsor of the bill seeking to establish a Federal College of Education in Bassambiri in Bayelsa State.
Other stakeholders including royal fathers and traditional rulers from the Nembe Kingdom were present at the public hearing to make a very strong case for the establishment of the institution in their domain.
Speaking, HRM Biobelemoye Josiah said the establishment of the Federal College of Education in his kingdom will eliminate the perceived marginalization of the people especially in the area of access to quality education.
“Passing and assenting the bill into law will remove from the record, the negative exhibit of educational neglect of the second largest ethnic nationality of the Ijaw tribe.”
The traditional stool added that the establishment of such an institution in Bassambiri will open up the kingdom for viable commercial activities which will, in turn, reduce poverty.
Bassambiri is the headquarters of the Opu-Nembe Kingdom located in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger-Delta region.
One of the other two bills considered and passed is a bill seeking to establish the Federal College of Agriculture, Anieri in Enugu West.
Former Deputy President of the Senate and sponsor of the bill, Ike Ekweremadu, noted that the establishment of the Federal College of Agriculture in Anieri has become necessary to settle issues of equity and justice in the state.
“To establish equity in our polity, the establishment of polytechnic in Enugu West, when it was passed and it was not signed we were not deterred.”
Deputy Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Toby Okechukwu, also added his voice in support of the bill and appealing to President Buhari to put his assent to the document.