The Senator representing Benue North East, Barnabas Gemade, Thursday said the establishment of the Federal Polytechnic, Adikpo, Kwande Local Government Area, Benue State will ensure equity.
He also said the polytechnic will provide qualitative education in technology, applied science management and other fields of studies, The Nation reports.
Gemade stated this during the second reading of a Bill for an Act to establish the Federal Polytechnic, Adikpo, Benue State to provide full time courses in technology, applied science management and other fields of studies and to make provisions for the general administration of such polytechnic, 2018.
He said that the development of polytechnic education is fundamental and a sine qua non in creating a work force for the desired economic diversification and also bridging the unemployment gap and emancipation of the people.
He added that the Bill is therefore a r right step in the right direction as it seeks to address not only the technological needs of “our populace but also provide training in the fields of applied science management, technical and vocational training of artisans for the development of the nation’s diverse economic potentials and industries.”
The Bill scaled the crucial second reading in the Senate with most of the senators speaking in favour of its approval.
In his lead debate, Gemade noted that the Federal Government policy to site federal institutions in every state was established with the creation of 19 states in 1976.
He said that the policy continued and with the creation of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, successive governments have maintained the policy in ensuring that every state of the Federation has a Federal University, a Federal Polytechnic and a Federal College of Education.
The lawmaker noted that commendable as the policy is, the need has arisen to bring about equity in its implementation.
Gemade said that the report of the committee on the modalities of establishing federal polytechnics, colleges of education and universities across the country considered and approved by the Senate on 18th January, 2018, it its findings confirmed the fact that Benue does not have any Federal polytechnic of federal college of education.
“It is against this backdrop that this Bill is being proposed to address these challenges by extablishing a federal polytechnic at Adikpo in Kwande Local Government Area which is very central within the North-East Senatorial District of Benue State which does not have any federal tertiary institution,” he posited.