Senate mulls converting YabaTech, Ilaro Poly to universities
Tunde Opalana, Abuja
In its commitment to opening access to higher education in the country, the Senate is poised to upgrade the Federal Polytechnics, Ilaro and Yaba College of Technology, Yaba to universities of technology as well as grant legal status to the Nigeria French Village, Badagry.
To this end, a public hearing for three bills sponsored by Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Lagos West) was held at the National Assembly on Thursday.
Senator Ahmad Babba Kaita, the Chairman Senate Committee of Tertiary Institution and TETFUND at the hearing said upgrading the two institutions would go a long way in calibrating the spread of educational infrastructure and balance access to education among the diverse of Nigeria.
He added that the passage of the inter-university centre for the French language in Badagry will improve the French Language proficiency and language skills required across professions at the global levels for ease of imparting knowledge and business practices.
Senator Adeola in his contribution to the public hearing as the sponsor of the stated the bills are pursuant of one of his legislative agenda to enhance and develop the educational institution as well as human resources development adding that the passage of the bills will address the need to expand the opportunities for our teeming youths seeking admission into universities.
Adeola noted that the upgrade of these institutions will address the issue of unemployment by providing education with the potentials to create jobs by its products as well as boost the economy of the host communities through the usage of technological innovations.
Stakeholders from the host communities and the academic communities of these three institutions presented oral and written memoranda in support of the bills among them the Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland Ogun State, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle who came with the 5 royal fathers namely Onipokia of Ipokia Oba Olusola Olaniyan, Oba Adeyemi Adekeye, the Abepa of Joga Orile Yewa, Oba Ebenezer Akinyemi, the Eselu of Iselu, Oba Jaiyeola Agunbiade, the Alagbara of Agbara Yewa, Onimeko of Imeko, Oba Benjamin Olanite, Otunba Akkem Adigun and Mr. Taiwo Hassan aka Ogogo, a popular actor.
Others who supported the passage of the bills as it relates to them includes Professor Babatunde Aileru, the registrar of the Nigeria French Village, Professor Austin Moye Dean of Faculty of Arts, University of Benin and President of University French Teachers Association on Nigeria, Dr.(Mrs) Lauretta Offodile the President of YabaTech ASUP, Apostle Shegun Shodipe President Yabatech Alumni and Dr. Kunle Salako of Ogun State Ministry of Health among others.
