BENIN CITY – Edo State House of Assembly yesterday gave second reading to the bill seeking to amend the Edo State University of Science and Technology, Uzairue Law 2014.
The proposed amendment of the law seeks to situate the actual location of the institution in Uzairue clan in Iyamoh, Etsako West Local Government Area, Edo State, when passed into law, the university shall be known as Edo State University of Science and Technology, Iyamoh, Uzairue (Etsako West II).
During yesterday’s plenary session, the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Philip Shaibu said the institution will be renamed in order to address the ambiguity in the actual location of the institution in Uzairue clan.
Hon. Johnson Oghuma (Etsako Central) on his part urged parliament to quickly effect the amendment in order to expedite the process of admitting its first batch of students into the institution.
He added that the Ambrose Alli University when it was originally established by Prof. Ambrose Alli, he did not waste any time in opening for the first academic activities as available facilities and resources were immediately put into use.
Other lawmakers, including Hon. Foly Ogedengbe (Owan East), Hon. Sunday Aghedo (Ovia South West) and Hon. Kingsley Ehigiamusoe aligned with the view that the vagueness in the location of the institution will eventually be addressed when the bill is amended.
The House Standing committee on Education was however directed to commence work on the bill and submit its report within 48 hours, ahead of the clause-by-clause consideration of the bill.
Meanwhile, the House has adopted a resolution calling on the chairman of Esan West Local Government Council to urgently provide succour to the displaced victims of rainstorm disaster in Ileh community on May 3, 2015 while directing all relevant agencies of Federal and State Government to provide relief materials to the affected people.
Parliament during plenary session also directed the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to immediately visit the council to ascertain the urgent steps taken by the council chairman to respond to the plight of the displaced victims and report back to parliament which had earlier threatened to sanction any erring chairman that required the resolution of parliament to swing into action in the event of natural disasters in their respective councils.
The adoption of the resolution was sequel to the hearing of a Matter of Urgent Public Importance presented by Hon. Monday Ehighalua (Esan West).
He said that the rainstorm disaster of May 3, 2015, left many people in Ileh community homeless as roofs were blown away from their houses, noting that majority of the victims were mainly peasant farmers who barely can afford to fix the damages to their respective houses.
Hon. Emmanuel Okoduwa (Esan North East II) while sympathizing with the victims of the rainstorm disaster, called for urgent attention of government to fix the houses.
Hon. Philip Shaibu (Etsako West II) on his part tasked disaster management agencies in the state to brace up for more challenges as the rainy season sets in.
He urged the local government authorities to immediately swing into action in providing relief materials to victims while Hon. Michael Ohio (Owan West) appealed to relevant authorities to urgently rehabilitate the elderly, women and children among the displaced victims of the disaster.
Parliament in its submission called on the chairman of Esan West Local Government Area to urgently provide relief materials and succour to the victims while urging all agencies of Federal and State Government like NEMA, SEMA and ministry of Women Affairs to urgently provide palliative to the victims.
House of Assembly
