For the very first time that Senator Ita Enang a former Senator representing Uyo Senatorial District and Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, to think outside his Senatorial District, he conceded the location of the newly approved University to be sited outside his Ibiono hometown. He suggested that the institution be located at Ikòt Abasi in Eket Senatorial District. I salute his new lifestyle, may be it is Politically propelled, as had earlier in the year declared his intention to run for the Governorship race.
In as much as I would not want to challenge his powers to have said that Ikot Abasi should host the Federal institution, I want to set the record straight.
Akwa State has 3 Senatorial District and about 9 Federal Constituencies. In all these Federal Constituencies, it’s only Eket Federal Constituency that hasn’t any Federal institution of learning.
In Eket Senatorial District, we have 3 Federal Constituencies, namely: Eket, Oron and Ikòt Abasi. Two has Federal institutions except Eket Federal Constituency.
✓Oron Federal Constituency has Maritime Academy, now Maritime University.
✓ Ikòt Abasi Federal Constituency has Federal Girl’s College, Ikòt Obio-itong and Akwa State University of Technology.
✓ Eket Federal Constituency has nothing. Either State nor Federal.
For Fairness and Equity, the newly approved University of Technology, should be sited within Eket Federal Constituency.
Information gathered by this writer is that the Federal Government intends to commence the University in the next Academic session and as such has approved the sum of N4 billion as a takeoff grant.
Time is essence here and to avoid wastage and delay in the take off of the University, I suggest that an already built up institution be converted to the University as the campus of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in Calabar started at a Secondary School.
In considering this, the present Government Secondary School, Afaha Eket should be converted as soon as possible to the University, and the Secondary School, relocated to Government Primary School, 1, Enen Ekpene, Afaha Eket. The compound is large enough to house both Secondary and Primary Schools, only new buildings are required.
The facilities at the Government Secondary School Afaha Eket was designed and built in mold of Polytechnic Calabar, now Cross River State University of Technology, Crutech. The following facilities are available.
1. 2 blocks of two-storey building for boys and girls hostel.
2. 4 blocks of two-storey classroom building
3. 6 Classroom blocks
4. Large Amphitheatre
5. Large Assembly Hall
6. Large one-storey building for Admin Block with Library Hall.
7. Large Science Laboratory
8. Large Computer laboratory
9. About 20 flats for senior staff quarters
10. Junior staff quarters
11. Large football field
And most importantly it has Large landmass for expansion.
What more is required for a quick take off of the Federal University of Technology?
(Pictures below shows some facilities at Secondary School Afaha Eket.)
Daniel Edon writes from Eket.
