The upper chamber also passed a bill to upgrade the Federal
Polytechnic, Ilaro, to a full-fledged Federal University of Technology.
The passage of both bills was sequel to the consideration of
two separate reports by the Committees on Health (Secondary and Tertiary); and
Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND.
Chairman of the Committee on Health, Senator Yahaya
Oloriegbe (APC, Kwara Central), said the bill when signed into law, would
upgrade the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, to a University Teaching Hospital.
According to him, the hospital “would ensure the delivery of
advanced health care services to the people of Adamawa State and its environs.”
He added that it would also contribute to the development of
health sciences through research and teaching.
In a related development, Senator Suleiman Sadiq Umar(APC,
Kwara North), in a presentation on behalf of the Chairman of the Committee on
Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, Senator Ahmad Babba Kaita (APC, Katsina
North), said the upgrade of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, to a University of
Technology would provide access to education among the diverse and
multicultural demographies in the country.
According to him, the upgrade of the institution would close
the gap in technological needs, as well as meet the learning and research needs
of prospective students of the host communities and researchers in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, on Tuesday
referred President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2018-2020 Federal Government External
Borrowing (Rolling) Plan to the Committee on Local and Foreign Debts.
Also referred to the Committee was the President’s request
for External Borrowing of N2.343 Trillion (About USD6.183 Billion) in the 2021
Appropriation Act.
The Committee which is chaired by Senator Clifford Ordia
(PDP, Edo was given four weeks to report back to the Upper Chamber.
In addition, President Buhari’s request for the confirmation
of Mr. Kolawole Oladipupo Alabi as Executive Commissioner, Federal Competition
and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), was referred by the Senate
President to the Committee on Trade and Investment.
The Committee was also given four weeks to turn in its
report.