Senator Oyelola Ashiru, representing Kwara South Senatorial District, has called for the upgrading of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara state, from a Diploma awarding institution to a Degree awarding one and other related matters. To make this a reality, he told journalists in Ilorin, the state capital, that he has “presented a Bill at the plenary for an Act to amend the Federal Universities of Technology Act Cap F23 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, to establish Federal University of Technology Offa, by upgrading the Federal Polytechnic Offa, Kwara State from a Diploma awarding Institution to a Degree awarding Institution and for related matters.”
Highlighting the background of the bill, the lawmaker said there is an acute shortage of slots in Nigerian Universities for admission-seeking students, necessitating calls for establishment of more Federal Universities to bridge the yawning gap, adding that the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has revealed that only a few percentage of candidates seeking admission to Federal Universities secure admission due to limited vacancies.
The bill, which was read for the first time in the hallowed chamber on Tuesday, 27th of April, 2021, has been referred to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institution and TETFUND. Recall that the Federal Polytechnic, Offa was established in 1992 during the administration of Ibrahim Babangida to offer Ordinary National Diploma (OND) and Higher National Diploma (HND).