***Bamidele Donates Three Vehicles, One Ambulance, Others To The University

The federal government has inaugurated the Governing Council of the Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences (FUTES) in Iyin Ekiti, Ekiti State alongside its principal officers, disclosing that the newly established institution will kick off full operations in September 2025.

Shortly after the inauguration, Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele officially donated two Toyota Coaster Buses, one Toyota Hilux Utility Vehicle, one Toyota Hiace Ambulance and two motorcycles, among others, to the university to fast-track its takeoff as scheduled.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa inaugurated the governing council and principal officers of the university on Tuesday in Abuja, saying the university was created to develop manpower in areas the country was having a human capital deficit.

At the inauguration were the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad; Pro-Chancellor and Chairperson of the University Governing Council, Senator Binta Garba; Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Olugbenga Aribisala and Chief Executive Officer, Premium Trust Bank, Mr. Emmanuel Emefienim, among others.

During the inauguration on Tuesday, the minister commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for paying special attention to the country’s education sector, disclosing that the Ministry of Education received the third highest budget for the first time in the history of Nigeria.

Alausa added that the newly established university would kick off full operations in September 2025, disclosing that the Federal Ministry of Education had officially briefed the National Universities Commission and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board to add it to the list of the country’s universities.

The minister justified the establishment of the university, which according to him, perfectly aligned with the action plan of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to speed up the development of human capital in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and create limitless opportunities for the country’s upcoming generations.

He explained that the newly established university would focus on training and producing graduates in core areas of specialisation where no fewer 2.2 millions job opportunities “are presently available, though nobody is available to take up those opportunities.”

Unlike most of the universities currently in operation, the minister noted that FUTES would be producing high-demand manpower for national development in the area of software engineering, proactive security, cloud computing, IT automation, quantum computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning.

He said: “As part of our Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), we have an expansive focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences. Why does this university focus on these areas? What necessitated the establishment of this university? How can we equip our teeming youths with these much-needed skills?

“The need to bridge the human capital deficit in these core areas spurred the birth of FUTES. The university will equip our teeming youths with high-tech skills that the country’s digital economy requires to blossom. It will also equip our youths with high-income skills they need to help themselves, their community they live in, our country and the world at large.

“We need these skills to shape geo-politics in the 21st century. If you go to countries in Europe and North America, the population is ageing fast. They do not have enough people to serve the manpower they need. If we position ourselves well, we will be able to give them the manpower they need in the decades ahead. We can continue to shape geopolitics if we prepare ourselves to fill this gap. That is what President Tinubu is quietly doing in our education sector. He is investing in education to equip our youths with durable skills that are in high demand globally.

Also at the inauguration, Bamidele commended the minister for what he did to ensure that President Tinubu signed the bill establishing the Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences, Iyin Ekiti into law.

Before the bill was signed into law, Bamidele explained how the host community went into work; set up a take off committee and secure a location for the new university to demonstrate their readiness for the institution.

He further explained that the host community made all these efforts even when they had not known what the decision of the president would be, who would chair the university’s governing council or where the principal officers of the university would come from.

According to the senate leader, at least seven retired professors from the host community of the university were utterly committed to its seamless takeoff. One of the retired professors, Late Prof. Ekundayo Adeyinka Adeyemi, was the first professor of architecture in West Africa. He was the one who suggested that “Environmental Sciences should reflect in the name of the institution

Bamidele, therefore, called for a one-minute silence in honour of Late Prof. Akinyemi the first professor of architecture in West Africa, who recently passed on while still in active service to his community, state and his fatherland.

Speaking at the inauguration, Aribisala explained the distinctiveness of the university is unique, saying it was the first of its kind in the history of Nigeria, which would offer specialised programmes.

The programmes, according to him, will include Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Forestry and Environmental Management, Industrial Designs, Cyber Security, Data Science and Economics, Artificial Intelligence and Software Engineering, among others.

Aribisala noted that the vision of the university was “to create a 21st century world-class institution that is a reputable citadel of learning and a global player in the knowledge production, a university that is ICT-driven and residential for both staff and students.

The Nigerian Senate, on Tuesday, approved the third reading of two bills aimed at establishing the Federal University of Technology in Ilaro, Ogun State, and the Federal University of Applied Sciences in Kachia, Kaduna State.

The approval followed the presentation of a report by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFUND, chaired by Senator Dandutse Mohammed (APC, Katsina South).

The report supported the creation of these two institutions to promote higher education and technological advancements in Nigeria.
According to the committee’s report, the establishment of the Federal University of Technology in Ilaro is based on the upgrading of the existing Federal Polytechnic Ilaro to a full-fledged university.

The bill for this upgrade was sponsored by Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Ogun West) and was first introduced during the 9th Senate but did not pass at the time.

In a related development, the Senate also passed the bill for the establishment of the Federal University of Applied Sciences in Kaduna State. However, the committee recommended changing the institution’s location from Manchok, as initially proposed by the bill’s sponsor, Senator Sunday Katung (PDP, Kaduna South), to Kachia, Kaduna State.

After a detailed clause-by-clause review of the reports, the Senate passed both bills for the third reading, moving them closer to becoming law and enabling the establishment of the two universities.

 Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has unveiled a new minimum wage of ₦72,500 for civil servants in the state, effective immediately.

This development comes after 17 state governors, including Kogi, established committees to implement the new minimum wage.

The unveiling ceremony took place at the Conference Hall of Government House, Lokoja.

Governor Ododo’s administration has been working tirelessly to enhance the welfare of civil servants and promote economic growth in the state.

Gov Ododo who noted that the effective date of the Minimum wage administration is with immediate effect also declared that the tax burden of the Minimum wage on the Civil Servants has been suspended for one year.

In his words “after taking a look at all the indices and to alleviate the financial burdens of the Civil Servants, we have graciously approved the total sum of ₦72,500 an the new minimum wage for the state’s Civil Servants.

Governor Ododo’s commitment to improving the lives of civil servants is evident in his administration’s efforts to provide better working conditions, social security, and fair wages. This move is expected to boost morale and productivity among civil servants

The governor has also demonstrated his dedication to the development of the State, with initiatives such as infrastructure development, agricultural reform programs, and improved healthcare services.