The Senate has reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, consultation, and participatory frameworks in delivering its legislative processes.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio gave the assurance while declaring open a one-day public hearing on a bill to amend the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University of Technology into a conventional university.
The Senate President represented by the Deputy Whip, Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi said ATBU Bauchi over the decades served as an important center of excellence in science, technology, research, and innovation urging the stakeholders to make meaningful contributions.
In his comment, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institution and Tetfund, Senator Muntari Muhammad Dandutse explained that this reform was part of efforts of the National Assembly to modernised legal framework of Tertiary Institutions.
The Sponsor of the bill Senator Umar Buba Shehu highlighted some of the reasons for the proposed amendment and that it will expand the scope of the university to have more courses that would be able to admit so many students in humanities, social sciences and other subjects that are not fully sciences or technology.
“With the growing population in the north, particularly Bauch state
at least there have been existing needs to broaden the educational scope of institutions like ATBU, to conform with the prevailing demands of university admissions, as is observed everywhere,”
However, the Nigerian University Commission through its representative opposed the bill with some reasons the passage of this Bill will endanger the existence of grants and programmes currently being enjoyed by the University based on its status as a University of Technology.
“It is not the intention of the Federal Government of Nigeria to change the status of ATBU, Bauchi to a conventional one. All Federal Universities of Technology were established in line with the Government policy of advancing the technological development of Nigeria through the production of high-level manpower. ”
Similarly, the University Management also rejected the proposed legislation as explained by professor Ediga B Agbo who spoke on behalf of the professors of the University.
“We worry about the idea if change because it will change the entire mandate of the university this will weaken the university and reduce its status thereby totally opposed the bill”
Other well meaning indigene of Bauchi state such as the former Governor Isa Yuguda former Senator Halliru Jika and former Director General of FRCN Ladan Salihu all supported the proposed legislation
The public hearing later turned to be rowdy session and forced the chairman Senator Muntari Muhammad Dandutse to adjourned the public hearing.
Cov/ Bashir M
