Bill to give FUTIA legal backing to be passed soon – Senator Sampson

The bill for a law to establish the Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi (FUTIA), will soon be passed, according to the Senator representing Akwa Ibom South in the National Assembly, Senator Ekong Sampson.
Sampson, who is the Deputy Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, disclosed this during the commissioning of a 500KVA transformer in Okon, Eket; the CBT/ICT Building at St. Francis Secondary School, Ikot Ataku, Eket; as well as the flag-off of a medical facility at Immanuel Hospital, Eket, and the construction of a medical facility at the General Hospital, Ikot Abasi, in Akwa Ibom State.

“The bill to give FUTIA a legal teeth will soon be passed, it has passed through the first, second, third reading,” he said.

While handing over the completed CBT/ICT Building to St. Francis Secondary School, Senator Sampson said the project was in line with the West African Examinations Council (WAEC)’s directive to transition from paper-based examinations to computer-based examinations. He described the project as a proactive attempt to complement the efforts of the state government in providing quality technology-based education and preparing students for the digital examination era.

“Very soon the WAEC will be written online hence we must prepare centres ready for such examination,” he revealed.

The Senator, who also performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of medical facilities at the General Hospital, Ikot Abasi, and Immanuel General Hospital, Eket, said the projects were critical to addressing the health needs of the people of Akwa Ibom and to providing accommodation for medical officers.

He, therefore, pledged commitments in ensuring that the medical projects flagged off are completed before the end of the year, even as he announced that the same facility would be replicated in General Hospital, Iquita, Oron, and will include accommodation and medical wards.

“All these interventions were designed to complement the efforts of the Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, PhD, towards repositioning the health sector. More things are coming. This is my assurance. I want to appeal that you continue to support Pastor Umo Eno, President Tinubu and Senator Godswill Akpabio for the next coming election. These are the people who love Akwa Ibom from their hearts,” he said.

The Senator further revealed his efforts in engaging with the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Honourable Minister of Steel Development, and other relevant stakeholders for the resuscitation of the Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON), saying that President Bola Tinubu was passionate about the revitalisation of the company.

In their separate responses, Deputy Medical Director of Immanuel Hospital, Eket, Dr. Otobong Udoh, and the Medical Director of General Hospital, Ikot Abasi, Dr. King Udoh, respectively lauded Senator Ekong for the projects, saying it was instructive that the project was coming at a time when Governor Eno had declared a state of emergency in the health sector.

The Directors, who pledged cooperation to ensure timely completion of the projects, observed that it came when the hospitals were in dire need of a convenient facility to accommodate doctors on call duty and called for solar power supply.

Bill to give FUTIA legal backing to be passed soon – Senator Sampson