Ex-Abia Rep hails Tinubu, Kalu over establishment of three higher institutions in South-East

A member of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), Sam Onuigbo, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, for signing into law three higher education bills for the South-East.

Onuigbo praised the President and the Deputy Speaker for the development, noting that through this singular legislative action, the two leaders have expanded access to tertiary institutions for young people in the region.

President Tinubu recently signed into law three bills establishing federal tertiary institutions in the South-East.

Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu sponsored the two bills for the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences and the Federal College of Education, both in Bende, Abia State, and strongly lobbied for assent to the bill establishing the Federal University, Okigwe, in Imo State.

Onuigbo, a former two-term member of the House of Representatives, in a statement he signed and made available to journalists, said “this legislative achievement comes as a clear demonstration of Kalu’s visionary leadership, deep commitment to educational development, and dedication to the socio-economic advancement of the South East and the nation at large.

“And for the President, I doff my heart for the expeditious assent to these timeless and transformative bills. In fact, by this act, Mr. President, you have once again demonstrated your administration’s commitment to inclusive development, nation-building, and the empowerment of our youth through education.”

Onuigbo, who represented Ikwuano/Umuahia North and South Federal Constituency in the Eighth and Ninth National Assemblies, maintained that the three new institutions would not only expand access to quality education but also catalyse socio-economic growth in Abia and Imo States.

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“Without doubt, Kalu’s legislative foresight and effective advocacy continue to inspire hope for a better future and sustainable progress for the younger generation. His understanding and collaboration with the Presidency have continued to pave the way for generations of Nigerians to access quality education.

“It is by creating such equal opportunities and striving to build a brighter future for the next generation that the nation’s greatness is assured. And, for this, I and all well-meaning people from the South East are hugely grateful,” he stated.

Onuigbo, who is also the sponsor of Nigeria’s signature legislation—the Climate Change Act—generally known as the Sam Onuigbo Climate Change Act 2021, noted that what President Tinubu and Kalu have done through the new institutions prepares a greater number of younger Nigerians for the rapidly expanding global knowledge economy.

The Chairman of the Security and Climate Change Committee on the NEDC Governing Board observed that with more and more young people gaining access to quality education, the nation would be better positioned to develop home-grown and adaptive solutions to various socio-economic challenges associated with climate change and food insecurity.

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