Cross River Polytechnic bill passes second reading | EduCeleb
EduCeleb
9th December 2020
A bill establishing the Cross River State Polytechnic scaled through the second reading in the House of Assembly on Tuesday, 8th December, 2020.
The Bill, if passed and assented to by Governor Ben Ayade would provide facilities for courses of instructions, training and research in science and technology, tourism, management and other fields of studies.
Sponsor of the bill, Mr Peter Odey explained that the state polytechnic would by the bill provide a better technological education.
Odey, during press briefing noted that there was a polytechnic before now and it was changed to a university and the House is not against the Bill that changed the polytechnic to a University.
He doubles as the Leader of the Cross River State House of Assembly and Member representing Ogoja State Constituency.
Odey added that for now technological advancement is lacking and no state grows outside its technological advancement.
He opined that with the industrialisation drive of the State Government, technologists and technicians can drive the growth in Cross River State, just like China.
“If the Youths are busy with their hands after acquiring knowledge they received from polytechnic, that alone would reduce unemployment and criminality in our State.”
He concluded that already Cross River State University of Technology will be changed to a conventional University and with this polytechnic Bill it would fast-track the Assent of Crutech Bill.
In his contribution, Deputy Speaker and bill co-sponsor, Joseph Bassey, stated the differences between a university and a polytechnic to justify the bill.
Bassey noted that graduates of polytechnics can enhance Cross River State productivity and for now both university and polytechnic graduates enjoy similar statuses as approved by the Federal Government.
The lawmaker who is member representing Calabar South II, further noted that the bill also seeks to give backing to the polytechnic to access the intervention funds from Federal donor agencies such as Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and other funds for its development, as well as facilitating scholarship, partnership and exchange of academic programme in various field of studies.