Federal lawmaker alludes establishment of federal polytechnic Ugep to Buhari administration
Rt. (Hon.) Dr. Alex Egbona, member representing Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives has revealed that he actually sponsored the bill for the establishment of a Federal Polytechnic in Ugep, Yakurr local government area in Cross River State.
Egbona while reacting to misinformation surrounding the citing of the institution in Ugep, said he would not want to offend the sensibilities of those who engage in peddling rumours and distorting facts about it.
He said the bill had actually passed through the second reading and was almost at the final stage of the legislative process when the Buhari led federal government, without prompting from any quarter, approved a federal polytechnic for Cross River State.
Egbona who is the chairman, Committee on Special Healthcare in the House of Representative refuted in a press release the Beagle News Commentary on Saturday, December 16, 2023 in Calabar which stated “That since the project was for Cross River State, the then governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, the current Minister of Sports development, Senator John Owan Enoh, former senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma Egba, SAN, the then senator representing the central senatorial district, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla and former minister for Niger Delta Development, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani and himself all moved to attract the school to our respective areas”.
The commentary stated that the high-profile public officials wanted the school to be cited in their domains. Pastor Usani Usani was said to have preferred Yakurr, Obono-Obla Ugep, Ben Ayade wanted Obudu, Senator Owan Enoh and Senator Ndoma Egba wanted it located in Ikom while he wanted it to be located in Abi because Ugep already have a state polytechnic which was initiated, built and completed by an Abi Son and former governor of the state, Senator Liyel Imoke.
According to Egbona, it is incorrect to say that anybody from Cross River directly influenced the establishment of Federal Polytechnic Ugep as it was a benevolence of the Buhari administration that resulted in the citing of the school in Ugep.
Rather, he conjectured that the friendship between the then Minister of Education and chief Obla, the Paramount ruler of Yakurr Local Government Area, Obol Lopon of Ugep and his legislative input to the birth of the polytechnic should not be diminished by those laying claim to it.
He said his reaction should put to rest the bickering over who attracted the federal polytechnic Ugep to the state, noting that the polytechnic billed to develop middle level management manpower in the country is for the good of the people.
Prof. Edward Ntui Okey, Professor of Plant and Environmental Sciences is the pioneer Provost of the school. Others are Mr. Arikpo Eno Otu, Registrar, Mr. Emmanuel Monday Uduehe, Bursar and Mr. Mbuotidem Umoh Liberian among other principal officers of the institution.
By: Archibong Emmanuel
(Snr. Reporter)
