Indications have emerged on plans to amend the law establishing the University of Africa Toru-Orua, Sagbama Local Government of Bayelsa State. From the onset, the ownership of the school had been a subject of controversy.
The university was established during the tenure of Senator Seriake Dickson. When the bill first went to the state house of assembly, the picture presented before the public was not very clear about its ownership.
There was a strong suspicion that the governor established the university for himself, prompting the then president of the Ijaw National Congress, INC, to query the former, challenging him to disclose the true owners of the school. Dickson is from Toru-Orua.
While receiving the visitation panel to tertiary institutions in the state, headed by Dr O.O. Osusu, the state governor, Senator Douye Diri, in response to a recommendation by the panel, hinted that the law establishing the university would need to be amended.
The panel had recommended that “the provision from TETFUND (Tertiary Education Trust Fund) be rotatory between BMU (Bayelsa Medical University) and UAT. That way, the two schools can benefit from the activities of TETFUND.“
But Diri said the UAT had a peculiar problem arising from the law that established it, adding that the solution was not in the rotation of the funds from TETFUND but in amending the UAT establishment law before making the necessary demands from the federal agency.
He added: “On behalf of the state government, I commend the visitation panel for doing a painstakingly thorough job. Let me also acknowledge the chairman of the panel, Dr. Osusu, who doubled as chair of the UAT panel, for going a little outside the terms of reference.
“The issues raised are very important to us as a state, particularly creating a Ministry of Higher Education. The recommendations are very apt and we are going to take serious look at them.”
The governor said that under his watch, institutions like the College of Education in Sagbama, which was without accreditation when he assumed office, now had all its programmes accredited to enable its graduates advance in their educational pursuit.
In presented the report of his committee, Osusu had said: “I chaired the panel to the University of Africa. We worked according to the terms of reference and the report is ready. But we included two recommendations that were not part of our terms of reference.
“We realised that the state had grown in the number of higher institutions. We have five already and there is need to separate or create a Ministry of Higher Education to oversee the higher institutions and their activities.
“The Ministry of Education, as it is today, is very large, and its activities are cumbersome. So a Ministry of Higher Education will streamline the operational policies and structural administration of the higher institutions in accordance with the thinking of the state.
Chairmen of the sub-panels to the various institutions also presented their reports. They include Dr. Martina Nwanyanwu for BMU, Prof. Steven Odiowei (Niger Delta University), Prof. Kingsley Alagoa (Bayelsa Polytechnic, Aleibiri), and Prof. Steve Azaiki, who was represented by Prof. Don Donbebe, for the Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education, Sagbama.
He said it was a priority of his administration to provide the basic needs for the accreditation of the state’s higher institutions as well as the facilities for a conducive learning environment and promised to put in place the required governing boards in all the institutions.
In another development, Governor Diri, also on Wednesday, decorated a newly promoted Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Samuel Debekeme, with his new rank.
He also congratulated Bolou Etete and Preye Egbe on their recent elevation to the position of Commissioners of Police.
He commended the three senior police officers, who are of Bayelsa origin, for making the state proud through their examplary exploits in the Nigerian Police Force.
He gave the commendation while decorating Debekeme, a former Assistant Commissioner of Police, in Government House, Yenagoa.
