Intervene in FUTA crisis, Reps urge FG

The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, urged the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, to immediately intervene in the crisis rocking the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) in order to avert avoidable loss of lives and property of members of the FUTA community.

The House also mandated the House Committee on Tertiary Education to intervene and investigate the cause of the crisis, with a view to resolving it.

The House resolution was sequel to a motion of urgent public importance moved by Honourable Afe Olowookere titled: “Urgent Need to Avert Loss of Lives and property at Federal University of Technology, Akure”.


Casting light on the background of the crisis, the lawmaker said FUTA,  in the past one month, has been embroiled in crisis following allegation of corruption against the Vice Chancellor, Professor Adebiyi Daramola, by the Non- Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) of the university.
“The protest by the members of these two unions within the university environment daily, has paralysed all activities in the school, and there is palpable tension that may result in a breach of peace and wanton destruction of lives and property if immediate intervention is delayed,” he stated
Speaking further, he maintained that the crisis had hindered the resumption of both returning and new students, who ought to have resumed last week, adding that the graduating students also could not process their documents for enlistment into the National Youth Service Scheme.
The lawmaker expressed worry that some community leaders including the Deji of Akure Kingdom had intervened in the crisis without achieving the desired result.
In another development, the House had mandated the Committee on Water Resources to interface with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and the officials of the Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority, to determine the circumstances surrounding the non-completion of the project, and to ensure its inclusion in 2017 Appropriation proposals.
The resolution of the House was sequel to a motion titled: “Urgent Need to Complete the Owena Multipurpose Dam in Igbara-Oke, Ondo-State”, moved by Honourable Olowookere.
The lawmaker further stated that there was an urgent need to salvage the multi-billion naira equipment at the Dam site, which he said, was fast depreciating.
The lawmaker noted that the construction of Owena Multipurpose Dam project started by the Federal Government in 2007, is yet to be completed for provision of potable water for the people of Ondo State.
He said the project when completed, would provide the whole of Ondo Central senatorial zone with potable water, noting that at the moment, the whole area is without potable water because of  its non-completion, which he said, is exposing them to epidemic.
When the motion was put to vote by the Speaker, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, it was supported by members