The House of Representatives Committee on University Education has called on governments at all levels and private stakeholders to increase funding for specialised universities to strengthen the country’s economic development.
Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Abubakar Fulata (APC–Jigawa), made the call in a statement after an oversight visit to some universities in the South-South region.
Fulata said the committee’s inspection of facilities at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE), Delta State, revealed urgent gaps in infrastructure and manpower support.
According to him, as Nigeria’s premier petroleum-focused institution, FUPRE should rank among the best universities in the country, given the critical role of the oil and gas sector in the national economy.
“I want to urge government and relevant stakeholders to properly fund this school and other specialised universities across the country,” he said.
He urged university authorities in the zone to strengthen partnerships with oil companies in accordance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), noting that such collaborations were necessary for research, innovation and institutional growth.
Fulata said the oversight visit showed the need for special funding for FUPRE to enhance infrastructural facilities, ensure compliance with its establishment Act regarding remuneration, and attract qualified manpower.
In another development, the lawmaker disclosed that the committee had summoned the Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Prof. Georgwill Owunari, over alleged non-compliance with the Appropriation Act.
He said the invitation would allow the VC and the university’s management team to clarify issues regarding alleged violations of federal character principles and failure to present necessary budget implementation documents for 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Fulata expressed concern that the committee’s oversight activities at UNIPORT had been repeatedly hindered.
“We were in the University of Port Harcourt last year and the Vice Chancellor was nowhere to be found. This year again, we visited and he was not around, giving flimsy excuses. No relevant documents were provided on how the school was managed since 2023,” he said.
He stressed that the committee’s work was in line with constitutional provisions and aimed at improving education standards in Nigeria.
Similarly, Fulata said the Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Prof. Nyaudoh Ndaeyo, had also been summoned over alleged irregularities in student population records, noting conflicting figures of 73,000 and 42,000 students in separate documents.
He further raised concerns over the volume of funds reportedly spent on local and international travels by officials of the Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State.
The Chairman urged the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Leo Daniel, to prioritise learning aids and infrastructural development over non-essential expenditures.
