Reps Adopt Petroleum University Bill

The House of Representatives after sustained deliberation has adopted a report on a bill to establish the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun in Delta State.

The bill, which was sponsored by Hon. Evelyn Omavowan Oboro (PDP, Delta) during the past 7th Assembly, was committed to the Committee of Whole for consideration in April this year.

Part of the provision of the bill was to free the indigenes from the present state of monolithic dependence on importation of refined oil products and that the university shall be a training institution for the development of the middle and high-level manpower for the oil and gas industry.

Under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the varsity is also to encourage the advancement of learning and to hold out to persons without distinction of race, creed, sex or political conviction.

It will also serve as an agent and a catalyst through post-graduate training, research and innovation for the effective and economic utilization, exploitation and conservation of the country’s petroleum resources.

The university, if established, is mandated to identify the technological problems and needs of the petroleum industry and find solutions to them within the context of overall national development.

The sponsor of the bill said with its successful passage into law, all that the Senate needed to do was to concur with the House in order for the bill to become an Act of the National Assembly.