Sen. Abe Wants UN Proposed Centre In Ogoniland Converted Into University

Senator Magnus Abe of Rivers South-East Senatorial District has called for the conversion of the United Nations proposed Center of Excellence in Ogoniland into a federal university.

Abe said Ogoniland is in dire need of science and technology-based federal universities.

The Senator, according to a statement by his spokesperson, Parry Saroh Benson, made the plea when the Senate Committee on Environment and Ogoni Religious and Political Leaders visited Bera Community in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State.

“The UNEP report provides for a Centre of Excellence and we have looked at that Centre of Excellence, it is supposed to be a place where the study into the environment, the pursuit of excellence in the environment, will be made, not only for the Ogoni area, but for the entire country,” said Abe.

“Now, the way our country runs, if we don’t make such provisions for the sustenance of that centre, it will die out. It may never achieve what it was intended to achieve”.

“So, I wanted to appeal to my colleagues, if we make the centre into a University. In the whole of this area, there is no federal university anywhere in this area. If we make the centre into a university, the money for the establishment is already provided, it will provide for the study of the environment, for science and for agriculture in the long term. Our country will benefit from it”.

“It is the National Assembly that has the power to make that legislation. Since the money has been provided, so that our country does not lose after the money has been spent. We can then make that pronouncement to sustain the Centre for Excellence in the long run,” said the lawmaker.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the Chairman Senate Committee on Environment, assured traditional rulers in the community that Abe’s request for the establishment of the Federal University in Ogoniland would receive positive feedback.

Tinubu said, “And your son has just mentioned that there is a Centre for Excellence, I am glad he is in the Senate and he is a member of the Committee on Environment. He knows what to do. He knows our rules.

“All he has to do is to come up with a bill or a motion and we are there to support him. If he wants the Committee to bring the motion or the bill, we are all ready. We are committed to this course as you are.

“We want to make sure that every part of Nigeria is safe like it used to be safe in the past. We know that there are challenges across Nigeria; desertification up North, flooding in the Middle Belt and even in Lagos”.