Conversion of Abia polytechnic to university divides lawmakers

Members of the Abia State House of Assembly were divided on Wednesday, during debate on a bill, tagged, ‘HAB 54’, seeking a law to convert Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, to Aba University.

The state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, had proposed three new universities through upgrade of the state polytechnic, College of Health and Management Technology (both in Aba) and College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu.

Earlier, during the debate, the sponsor of the bill and Majority Leader, Solomon Akpulonu, said if passed into law, the proposed Aba University will help address what he described as deficit of university education in the state and Aba, in particular.

He noted that the Abia State University is the only state-owned conventional university available to the teeming population seeking university education in the state.

Supporting conversion of the polytechnic were the Deputy Speaker (representing Ohafia North), Mandela Obasi, Jerry Uzosike (Umuahia South), and Abraham Oba.

They said with the university, Aba’s development, as the state’s business and technological hub, would be enhanced. According to them, Aba deserves a university to enable businessmen access knowledge from research and advance their firms. They added that the polytechnic already had structures and properties that would be available to the new university.

But differing, the member representing Isiala Ngwa North, Ginger Onwusibe, held that passing the conversion bill would increase the financial burden and challenges of the state government. He said the move is capital intensive and will add to the high wage bill of the state.

After the bill passed the second reading, the presiding Speaker, Chinedum Orji, constituted an adhoc committee under the chairmanship of the member for Umuahia South, Jerry Uzosike, to conduct a public hearing on the matter and submit a report to members within one week.

Meanwhile, a university lecturer in the state described the development as academic and advised the lawmakers to be more rational in lawmaking and avoid laws that could impact society negatively.

He queried the basis for new universities when the education sector is almost comatose, lacking facilities, with workers being owed salaries and pensions for months and years.