The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has reacted to the Senate’s approval of the establishment of a University of Medicine and Medical Sciences in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
TrackNews Online reports that the bill, sponsored by Senator Ibikunle Amosun, was passed by the Senate on Wednesday, awaiting concurrence from the House of Representatives before being sent to the President for assent.
The student’s union in a statement made available to TrackNews Online on Thursday commended the Senate for passing the bill.
In the statement, the Ogun NANS Chairman, Damilola Simeon, hailed the decision of the lawmakers “to pass the bill at a critical time when the nation’s health sector is suffering a brain drain.”
Meanwhile, the student’s body has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to waste no time in assenting to the bill “to salvage the health sector from imminent collapse.”
“We appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately sign the bill for the establishment of the University of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Abeokuta.
Simeon maintained that the nation is bedevilled by a huge shortage of medical workers, even at this time when the whole world is battling the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic and other communicable diseases.
“We appeal that the President not to only sign the bill, but also approve funds needed for the take-off of the university,” he stated.
NANS also asked Buhari to sign the bill seeking the upgrade of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro to a university of technology, recalling that the bill was also passed by the Senate on June 1.
