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Don faults move to convert Michael Okpara University of Agriculture into conventional varsity
A University don and former Abia state Commissioner for Finance, Dr Phillips Nto has faulted moves by the House of Representatives to amend the Act establishing Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) to a conventional University.
In a release issued in Umuahia, Nto described the impending bill as ill-conceived as it would not add value to both the university and Abia State generally
He argued that amending the act to convert MOUAU to a conventional University would not only be counterproductive, but also deepen the marginalization of Abia State in the siting of federal institutions.
Nto, who is the Director of the Agribusiness Department of MOUAU and the immediate-past Provost, Abia state College of Education,Technical, Arochukwu, suggested that what Abia State needs now is a second federal university, as obtained in surrounding states.
He observed that converting MOUAU to a conventional university would neither attract additional funding from the federal government nor accelerate development in the state the way a brand new University would do.
According to the statement: ”What Abia needs is a brand new conventional University, not an upgrade. A new university will attract fresh take-off grant, new employment and appointments. Other states are doing bills to attract a third university. The deputy speaker, Chief Kalu should use his good office to attract a new one for Abia State,” Nto opined.
He lamented that while lawmakers from other states are vigorously canvassing for the setting up of a third university in their states, those from Abia are pushing for the conversion of the only existing specialized federal University in the state.
The University lecturer said that it was inconceivable that at a time the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was harping on food security through agriculture, those who claim to love him are impeding the process for the realization of that goal.
”It amounts to misplacement of priority to switch over to conventional University at this period the country and the South-East zone are battling food insecurity. I believe our founding fathers had a cogent reason for making it a university of agriculture, “he declared.
Nto urged both the government and its functionaries to place more emphasis on agriculture as it has huge potential to generate employment for the youths of the country.
He , however, called for adequate funding of MOUAU and scholarships for graduates of agriculture to embark upon agribusiness activities as a means of making the institution more relevant to the nation and world at large.
According to the expert in agricultural enterprise,, what Universities of Agriculture in Nigeria need now is a law for special and adequate funding so as to attract more students into agriculture and not the conversion of the existing ones to conventional universities.
It will be recalled that the Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Chief Benjamin Kalu, representing Bende federal constituency in the House of Representatives is sponsoring the Bill seeking to convert the MOUAU into a conventional university.
The bill is almost scaling through its third reading.
