The quest to expand access to quality tertiary education and technological advancement in Delta State yielded the desired dividend during the 9th House of Representatives through the determined efforts of the then Minority Leader, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, OON, who championed the establishment of a Federal University of Technology in Asaba.
As the representative of the people of Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency, Elumelu demonstrated his commitment to educational development and youth empowerment by sponsoring a landmark bill seeking the establishment of the institution in the Delta State capital.
On March 4, 2020, the House of Representatives passed for second reading the bill titled: “A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Establishment of Federal University of Technology, Asaba, Delta State for the Promotion and Development of Technical Education in Nigeria and to Make Comprehensive Provisions for its Due Management and Administration; and for Other Related Matters.”
Leading the debate on the floor of the House, Elumelu explained that the proposed legislation, which comprised 29 clauses divided into five parts, was designed to establish a specialized university that would be responsible for training and developing highly skilled technologists, promoting research and innovation, evaluating students, and providing a robust framework for the institution’s administration and management.
He emphasized that the proposed university would create greater educational opportunities for Nigerian youths, particularly in the South-South region, while helping to bridge the gap in technical and technological education, which remains critical to national growth and development.
Elumelu argued that the establishment of the university was in line with global best practices and recommendations by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which advocates increased investment in education as a catalyst for sustainable development.
One of the strongest arguments advanced by Elumelu was the fact that Asaba, despite being a rapidly growing state capital with strategic economic importance and increasing population, remained one of the few state capitals in Nigeria without a Federal University.
According to him, the creation of a Federal University of Technology in Asaba would not only correct that anomaly but also address the technological and educational needs of the area and its surrounding communities.
In further justification of the bill, Elumelu pointed out that the proposed site for the university already possessed substantial infrastructure that could support an upgrade to university status. He noted that the institution earmarked for the project had existing facilities including a School of Vocational Studies, a standard and functional library, administrative blocks, staff quarters, lecture theatres, shuttle buses, a multipurpose hall, health centre, technical workshop buildings, and sporting facilities.
Describing the bill as a straightforward and people-oriented legislation, Elumelu passionately appealed to his colleagues to support the initiative in the overall interest of educational advancement and national development.
His advocacy yielded immediate results as members of the House unanimously voted in favour of the bill, allowing it to successfully pass second reading and subsequently be referred to the House Committee on Tertiary Education for further legislative consideration.
The legislative process did not stop there. Following detailed scrutiny and stakeholder engagements, the Committee on Tertiary Education approved the proposal and submitted its report to the House. The bill was thereafter read for the third time and received unanimous passage by the House of Representatives.
The successful passage of the bill marked a major milestone in Elumelu’s sustained efforts to bring a Federal University of Technology to Asaba, reflecting his vision for educational expansion, technological advancement, youth development, and greater access to higher learning opportunities for the people of Delta State and Nigeria at large.
Today, the legislative initiative remains one of the notable educational interventions championed by Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu during his tenure as Minority Leader of the 9th House of Representatives, underscoring his dedication to using legislative instruments to promote development and improve the lives of his constituents and Nigerians generally.
