Kogi State Government last week made public her resolve to build another State University, Confluence University of Science and Technology to be situated in Osara, Adavi local government of Kogi State. Just as how Governor Bello’s policies in the time past had generated mix feeling by cross section of the people in and out of the State so also the announcement on the proposed Science and Technology University.
The populace are presently divided along two lines that is, those who see it as laudable project and even commend Governor Bello led-administration for the initiative and pundits who term it as one of such white elephants projects by the present administration, which will not see the light of the day. The position advanced by the latter were very germane. They argue that Governor Bello has barely three and half years to spend in office and question how realistic would the project be.
They equally declare that the State is presently managing to pay staff salaries and local governments long on percentage salaries and therefore questioned how a State enmeshed with challenges like this can still go ahead to establish another State University, a technology base university for that matter which will demand serious funding. They declared that funding will militate its establishment in view of the fact that the economy of the nation has been ravaged by covid19 pandemic. Thus, the price of crude oil has gone down in recent months, which adversely affect the monthly federal allocation fund to each State of the federation.
People who held these views opined that going by the above factors, it is unreasonable to embark on a laudable project like this.
They therefore suggested that the appropriate thing in a time like this is for Governor Bello led government to enhance the effectiveness of the existing university in the State with a view to increase its admission enrolment capacity. As an alternative to establishing new State University, they canvassed for the decentralization of the existing one in Anyigba so that each senatorial zone in Kogi State has one of its campuses.
In doing this, they suggested that the engineering faculty of the present State University should be located at Kogi Central while the agriculture faculty goes to West axis of the State.
They however concluded that anything short of these recommendations amount to building castle in the air as the propose Science and Tech University in the State is not feasible going by the years remaining before the end of Governor Bello term in office. They declared even if Governor Bello still went ahead with the project, there is likelihood that it would not be fully completed and by 2023 another administration takes over, the vigour to give the new university needed attention would not be there. In short, they likened it to one of such laudable projects that died now immediately the initiator leaves power.
The beautiful ideas and summation by these critics are very germane notwithstanding I have superior arguments to counter these too. To put things in proper perspective, I shall address two major areas raised by these pundits: Timing and funding factors.
To start with, late Prince Abubakar Audu was the first Governor in the State that establish tertiary institution in Kogi State. Now, let me put this question to my reader. Did Prince Abubakar Audu use two terms to establish Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja? Did he equally use two terms in office to establish Kogi State University in Anyigba also? The answers to the above two questions are absolutely not.
For the knowledge of those who are not well versed on how these two institutions came into being, I must therefore educate them that Kogi Polytechnic, Lokoja was established within the first term of Prince Abubakar Audu’s tenure in the State before military took over the government that abruptly disrupted his administration. The like of Kogi State University, Anyigba came into effect in 1999 when Prince Abubakar Audu came to power.
So, if these institutions can still exist despite initiator spending just one term in office, I don’t buy into the claim of the people who erroneously assume that the proposed Confluence Science and Technology, Osara will cease to exist when Governor Bello leaves office. On this note, there assertion does not also hold water.
I maintain this position because government is a continuous process just like how successors of late Abubakar Audu continue the infrastructural development of the Kogi State Polytechnic and Kogi State University so also will happen, when Governor Bello leaves office.
To be continued from part two
– Shaibu Stephen Ojate, a Journalist and Public Affairs Commentator, writes from Abuja.
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