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SENATE BACKS CREATION OF SIX FEDERAL UNIVERSITIES
The Senate Monday set the stage for creation of six new federal universities through public hearing on establishment bills by its Committee on tertiary education and TETFUND
The bills are Federal University of Education (Special), Oyo (Establishment) Bill, 2024; Federal University of Health Sciences, Funtua, Katsina State (Establishment) Bill, 2024 and Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State (Establishment) Bill, 2024.
Others are Federal University of Geomatics, Oyo, Oyo State (Establishment) Bill, 2025, Federal University of Technology and Vocational Studies, Yaba, Lagos State (Establishment) Bill, 2025 and
Federal University of Technology, Omoku, Rivers State (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Muntari Dandutse (APC Katsina South) who sponsored the Federal University of Health Sciences, Funtua, Katsina state (Establishment) Bill, 2024, said it was instructive to note that the conventional or mainstream medical practice was gradually being passed out with the advancement in science and technology.
He added that the advent of Artificial Intelligence and the use of robotics are predominantly being deployed to handle sophisticated medical practices and procedures limiting the chances of medical practitioners.
This, according to him, will no doubt, invariably give rise to job losses in the near future, making it imperative for urgent and necessary steps to be taken for Nigeria to align with this current global phenomena.
In his remarks at the occasion, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, called for more investments in human capital development by government at all levels.
Akpabio who was represented by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, said the proposed universities will serve as veritable platforms for the required human capital investment in the country.
He said: “Our population continues to grow, and so must our investments in human capital.
“The inclusion of specialised institutions like the proposed University of Education (Special), Oyo and the University of Geomatics highlights our intention to cater to specific educational and developmental needs.
“The task before the Senate was to ensure that these institutions, once established, are not only sustainable but also adequately funded.also effectively governed, and tailored to meet the dynamic needs of the 21st-century learner”.
