Yaba Tech Moves Closer To Becoming Full Fledged University

From Jane Okafor, Abuja

The Premier technological institution in Nigeria, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos,  once again inches closer to becoming a full fledged University of Technology with the passage of a bill sponsored by Senator Solomon Adeola during its second reading on the floor of the Senate.

Leading the debate for the bill " A Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of the Federal University of Technology, Yaba, and for other matters connected therewith,2020" Adeola recalled that  the bill was presented in the last Senate but was not passed.

The All Progressives Congress(APC) Senator representing Lagos West, said the Bill seeks  to upgrade the oldest tertiary institution in Nigeria  into a University of Technology.

YabaTech waa established in 1947 during the colonial era.

 Adeola who Senate Committee Chairman on Finance, added  that the upgrade would stimulate our economy's need for requisite technical, scientific and technological skills for its effective operation.

The  Senator also noted that the upgrade would address the huge demand for technology oriented tertiary education that the mega city of Lagos requires to function optimally in the interest of Nigeria.

According to him,  that this upgrade is different from creating a New University from the scratch as is currently  being done for most new universities.

Other Senators who spoke overwhelmingly in support of the bill include Senators James Manager(PDP,Delta South), Abdulfatai Buhari(APC,Oyo North), Ayo Akinyelure (PDP,Ondo Central), Barau Jibrin(APC, Kano North) and Ibrahim Gobir(APC, Sokoto East).

Others are  Bayo Osinowo(APC, Lagos East), Adamu Aliero(APC, Kebbi South), Ajayi Boroffice(APC,Ondo North) Kola Balogun(PDP, Oyo South), Isah Jubrin (APC, Kogi East), Micheal Nnachi(Ebonyi South) and the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan who referred the bill to the Senate Committee for Tertiary  Education for further legislative action, according Chief Kayode Odunaro, Media Adviser to Senator Adeola, in a release on Tuesday.