A bill to establish the Cross River State Polytechnic has scaled through second reading in the House of Assembly, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
Sponsor of the bill, Mr Peter Odey, who represents Ogoja State Constituency, said during plenary on Wednesday that the state Polytechnic would provide better technological education in the state.
Odey, who is the Majority Leader of the Assembly, explained that there was a Polytechnic in the state, later changed to the Cross River University of Technology.
He observed that technological advancement was lacking in the state, adding that no state grows outside its technological exploits.
He maintained that with the industrialisation drive of the present administration in the state, technologists and technicians can drive growth in Cross River, just like China.
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“If the youths are busy with their hands after acquiring the knowledge they received from polytechnic, that alone will reduce unemployment and criminality in our state.
“The Bill, if passed and assented to by Gov. Ben Ayade, will provide facilities for courses of instructions, training and research in science and technology, tourism, management and other fields of studies,” he said.
In his contribution, Deputy Speaker of the Assembly and co-sponsor of the bill, Mr Joseph Bassey, highlighted the differences between a university and a polytechnic.
Bassey, who represents Calabar South II constituency, explained that graduates from polytechnic can enhance Cross River productivity.
He added that currently, the university and polytechnic were enjoying the same status approved by the Federal Government.
The lawmaker 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 and other funds for its development.
He said that the bill if passed, would also facilitate scholarship, partnership and exchange of academic programme in various field of studies.
NAN reports that other members of the assembly in their separate contributions also spoke in support of the bill.
Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Eteng Jonah-Williams, after the second reading of the bill, referred it to the committee on education for fine-tuning and report back to the House in two days.