Senate Seeks to Establish N1.711bn University of Environment in Ogoni

A bill to establish a Federal University of Environment Technology in Ogoni, Rivers State, with a takeoff grant of N1.711 billion on Wednesday passed second reading at the Senate.

The bill has therefore been referred to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND headed by Senator Baba Kaita with a two-week time frame to carry out further legislative duties on it.

In his lead debate, the sponsor of the bill, Senator Barinada Mpigi, said if approved, the university would be established in Saakpenwa, Ogoni, adding that setting up the institution in the area would provide the manpower needed to tackle the environmental degradation in the area.

According to him, "As a leader and community mobiliser, it is my  passion and conviction that the establishment of a Federal University of Environmental Technology in Saakpenwa, Ogoni, will capture and mainstream the ideals of the United Nations Environment Programmes (UNEP) recommendations and help in confidence building as well as cementing relationship with community leadership and give opportunities to the youths and women to better understand the relationship between technology, environmental pollution and environmental protection in Ogoni, Niger Delta region and Nigeria in general in order to combat the threat of ecology and climate change.”

The lawmaker added, the institution, when established, would also provide for the institutional requirements to run a world-class environmental technology institution by catering for the learning and research needs of its prospective students and researchers locally and beyond.

He reiterated that when the bill is enacted into law, the Federal University of Environmental Technology, Saalpenwa in Ogoni, Rivers State, would be the first in Africa in the areas of learning and acquiring knowledge as a specialised university.

Mpigi stressed that the Ogoni struggle has earned international recognition and reputation "and therefore, there are available willing partners and buy-ins from international organisations and individuals especially those with bias in nature conservation and environmental protection to support the takeoff of the university."

He stated that the Rivers State Government has expressed support for the institution by providing a modern state-of-the-art facility at Saakpewa for the immediate takeoff while the host community has also shown interest to donate lands for the university.

Also contributing,  Senator Sandy Onor called on his colleagues to support the bill because the establishment of Environment University is of good importance.

According to him, "This bill deserves all our support, and I do believe that the establishment of this university will be of good importance, therefore, I rise to wholeheartedly support this bill.”

On his part, Senator Ibikunle Amosun said the university would help in protecting environmental challenges, adding that its establishment would also reduce youth restiveness.

“When the institution is eventually established, it will bring in a lot of things and help the community, as able bodied men and women in the community would have something to do in order to curb vices," he noted.

After exhaustive debate, the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, thereafter referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, and ask it to report back to plenary in two weeks.