The Nigerian Senate, Thursday passed a bill to establish a Federal University of Agriculture, Bama in Borno State in North Eastern Nigeria.
Senator Shehu Lawan Kaka representing Borno Central Senatorial District who sponsored the bill told the red chamber that the University would utilize the agricultural potentials of the zone, particularly, as students will not only have academic degrees but skills that make them self-employed.
Kaka said, the North East and Nigerians on a larger scale needed skills in mechanic agriculture and its related research for the nation to compete with its contemporaries, stressing that the proposed University will offer that opportunity as the bill gets the support of lawmakers.
“A bill for an Act to establish Federal University of Agriculture and Entrepreneurship Bama, Borno State and to make comprehensive provisions for its due management and administration and for related matters, 2024.
Contributing in support of the bill, Senator Ezenwa Francis representing Imo South East Senatorial District on the platform of the Labour Party, expressed optimism in the proposed University mopping up idle youths into agricultural business.
He urged Senators to throw their weight behind the bill on merit which he said, the zone had no similar University.
After contributions by some Senators, the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau who presided over Thursday’s plenary in the absence of Godswill Akpabio commended the Borno lawmaker for coming up with the bill that is considered to be the yearning of the North East zone.
Barau said, “University of Agriculture and Entrepreneurship”, is a specialized tertiary institution, hence, the bill is coming up at the appropriate time. He passed the bill for a second reading after calling for a voice vote without an objection and referred it to the Committee on Tertiary Institution and TETfund.
He said: “I wish to commend Senator Kaka for sponsoring this bill. Truly, having a specialized University in the North East is not asking for too much. The more, the merrier”.