- Omo-Agege, Deltans Hail Buhari, NASS
By Abiola Olawale
Jubilations erupted in Delta on Monday as President Muhammadu Buhari approved the establishment of the Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state, which will take effect with full academic programmes from October, 2022.
The New Diplomat had reported that Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate (DSP), representing Delta Central Senatorial District in the Red Chamber of the National Assembly had sponsored the bill for the establishment of a Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, Delta State.
The Bill which was consequently passed by the Senate and was further transmitted to the House of Representatives for its legislative concurrence.
Similarly, the House of Representatives, in its concurrence passed the Bill seeking to establish of a Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, Ughelli North Local government Area of Delta State after overwhelming majority of the members of the house were in total concurrence on the bill.
However, following the passage of the Bill by the Senate and the concurrence of the House of Representatives, respectively, President Buhari in exercise of the powers vested on him by the Constitution assented to the Bill and approved for the establishment of the Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, Ughelli North, Delta State.
The Presidential approval was conveyed in a letter addressed to the Deputy Senate President, the Obarisi of Urhoboland, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and signed by Arc. Sonny Echono, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, on behalf of the Honorable Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu.
The statement was titled ‘APPROVAL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC, OROGUN, UGHELLI NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, DELTA STATE’, dated 23rd of February, 2021.
The statement reads: “I am pleased to inform you that His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has approved the establishment of Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, Ughelli Local Government Area, Delta State with effect from 2022.
”The Honorable Minister of Education has therefore constituted an implementation committee under my leadership to liaise with you and the Delta State Government for detailed planning and execution of the approval.
”I am to inform you that a technical team from Federal Ministry of Education and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) shall visit your state to identify and assess the site in Orogun, Ughelli North L.G.A. as well as facilitate necessary arrangements for commencement of academic activities in October 2022.”
Reacting to the approval, Senator Omo-Agege expressed appreciation to the President for approving the establishment of the Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, Delta State.
Omo-Agege also appreciated the 9th National Assembly under the leadership of Senator Ahmad Lawan, the Senate President and the members of the House of Representatives under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, for their support for the bill.
This was contained in a statement signed by Prince Efe Duku, Special Adviser to Omo-Agege.
The statement reads thus: “His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR has approved the establishment of the Federal Polytechnic Orogun, Delta State. Mr. President’s approval was conveyed to The Obarisi of Urhoboland and Deputy President of the Senate, His Excellency, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege in a letter dated February 23, 2021, referenced DHE/POLY/39/C.1/I/84 signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Arc. Sonny S. T. Echono, on behalf of the Honourable Minister of Education, Alhaji Adamu Adamu.
“The polytechnic will commence academic activities in October 2022. President Buhari’s gracious approval of the founding and take-off of the Federal Polytechnic Orogun demonstrates yet again his clear leadership vision that our nation must embrace the future with a truly innovative educational system. One supplying world-class human resource portfolios for national and global development.
“The Federal Polytechnic Orogun is another clear evidence of Mr. President’s admirable statesmanship, patriotic attention to strategic human capital development and deep love for our people. On behalf of our traditional, religious, political, women, and youth leaders, and indeed all our people, the Deputy President of the Senate is profoundly grateful to Mr. President for the realisation of the dream of the establishment of this academic institution.
“The DSP is daily humbled by God’s amazing grace which is manifest in President Buhari’s support for his humble efforts to represent our people with honour, courage, and distinction in the Senate. He is also thankful to his dear friend and brother, the Honourable Minister of Education, Alhaji Adamu Adamu, for his leadership and sense of integrity on this issue, like others.
“May we say that Senator Omo-Agege has always envisioned the possibility of public tertiary academic institutions with core ‘Silicon Valley’ character in Nigeria. Institutions known mainly for world-class research capabilities and first-class achievements in the sciences, especially computer science – computer graphics, network design, computer-assisted education, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics, big data, cyber security, bioinformatics, amongst others.
“This was the major motivation for his introduction of the Bill to establish the Federal Polytechnic Orogun in 2017 in the 8th Senate, but the political environment then did not allow the bill to progress. He re-introduced the Bill in 2019 in this 9th Senate, and it was passed by the National Assembly. Our people, ably represented by the DSP, are grateful to the Distinguished Senators and Members of the House of Representatives of the 9th National Assembly for the passage of the Federal Polytechnic Orogun Bill.
“The Obarisi is particularly grateful to his brothers, the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, PhD, CON, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, His Excellency, The Rt. Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, His Excellency, The Rt. Honourable Ahmed Idris Wase for their unflinching support for the Bill.
“To our people, let us thank God Almighty by whose benevolence we are now being blessed with good and perfect gifts like never witnessed in our history. Let us celebrate this worthy achievement with prayers for Mr. President. God’s amazing grace is upon your beloved Obarisi. The best is yet to come. He remains wholly and resolutely committed to your common good and strategic interests. Please pray for him, always.”
In a swift reaction, many Deltans took to the streets to express their joy and happiness with the news. Madam Onovita, a petty trader in Ughelli told The New Diplomat that she is overwhelmed with joy as she can now send her children to the Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, Delta state to study engineering and technology without having to subject herself to the strain looking to far flung places in other states.
Another Deltan show spoke with The New Diplomat, Oshare Omiruagua commended Omo-Agege for his visionary and capacity. According to him, Delta Central , “the Urhobo nation is blessed to have Obarisi Senator Omo-Agege because what he has done for Urhobo nation, for Delta state, is unprecedented in the history of legislative representation in our State.”
