Otu Establishes University of Education As North Cries Out Over Neglect in Siting Tertiary Institutions
Ndifereke BASSEY
Governor Bassey Otu has announced the establishment of Cross River State University of Education and Entrepreneurship, and the Cross River State College of Agriculture and Forestry Establishment.
However, a group, Northern Progressives Alliance (NPA) has alleged marginalisation, saying Northern senatorial district has again been neglected in the sitting of the two institutions aimed at developing technical man power.
The two tertiary institutions came into force following the passage of the laws establishing them recently by the Cross River State House of Assembly.
Governor Bassey Otu assented to the laws during the first Executive Council meeting held on January 8,2025.
The establishment of University of Education, Akamkpa, University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) Calabar, and Teachers Training Institute in Biase brings to three state-owned tertiary institutions located within the Southern senatorial districts leaving the northern senatorial zone with none. UNICROSS has two campuses in Abakpa, Ogoja and Okuku in Yala all in Northern senatorial district.
Reacting, Northern Progressives Alliance (NPA), a non-partisan organisation committed to fighting for the interest of the North, led by Comrades Emmanuel Agbor and Beshel Ogar as Coordinator and secretary respectively, expressed worry at the gradual marginalisation of the zone in the distribution of state-owned institutions and infrastructures by the present adminstration.
The duo, in a separate interviews, claimed that all Gov Otu's electioneering promises of completing Ogaja Rice Mill, Obudu Cargo International Airport and Ranch Resort made to the north are yet to be fulfilled.
According to Agbor, "the establishment of University of Education and Entrepreneurship and the Cross River State College of Agriculture and Forestry Establishment is a clear indication that north does not matters much to him, except to come and canvass for votes in 2027.
"From what we have seen so far, the north is only good for a campus as seen UNICROSS with campuses at Abakpa, in Ogoja and Okuku in Yala. The two campuses could have even been converted to University of Technology or Agriculture considering the agric potentials of the central and north.
"It is a lopsided arrangement to have a University of Education and Entrepreneurship in Akamkpa when the same south has UNICAL and UNICROSS that are well grounded in educational foundational courses. In fact, UNICAL just got National University Comission (NUC) approval to establish full fledged d College of Education to offer top notch courses in education.
"We had expected the Governor to take comparative advantage of the north's agric and other natural resources and upgrade one of instituions to serve the zone in technological man power development."
Also speaking, an All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholder form the north, who simply gave his name as Ntufam Michael Adah, said: "I think the north is yet to reap the fruits of her labour. We participated fully in ensuring that Otu won in the north. We supported the back-to-south whole-heartedly for balance and equity in our body polity.
"Otu would have established the State University of Education in Ogoja no matter what to assuage the zone who stood by him during thick and thin. Such a tertiary institution would have brought development and given us a s sense of belonging."
