Date Published: 07/27/09

CAN condenms FG move PTI to Kaduna

Christain Association of Nigeria has condenmed in clear terms the current proposal by the Federal government to relocate the proposed University of Petroleum Technology (UPT), to Kaduna.

Speaking last Sunday to congregation of the Family Worship Centre, Wuyep Abuja, Pastor Sarah Omakwu, described the government's move as capable of giving birth to fresh crisis in the country.

Sarah, an indigene of Southern Kaduna this government's initiative cannot be justified, particularly at the period it claimed it was granting amnesty to the Militants agitating for equality and fairplay in the distribution of resources from the oil-rich Niger Delta.

She said: "It is wrong for the present leadership of this country to feel that Nigeria belongs to the North alone. It is equally absurd to Northernised this country because Nigeria belongs to North, east, West and South, and no one whatsoever should feed bigger or more important than the other.

"We should all rise up against this injustices against the rest of the country. Time has come when all of us will wear short nickers and bras and fight. It has gotten to that level. What is the contribution of Kaduna to the Gross Domestic Product of Nigeria".

It would be recalled that last wednesday, the Federal executive council (Fec)took a far reach decision to reverse the upgrading of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Warri, to a University; and also to move same to Kaduna state.

Analysts described the latest development as arrogant, insensitive, insulting and inciting on the part of the Federal government, adding that this is another way of asking the oil producing areas of the country to go to blazes.

President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua recently approved N14.5 billion a 15-year old National College of Petroleum Studies, located in Kaduna, to an institution of higher learning.

Government's thinking is that the Kaduna college would train management manpower for the industry while the PTI would train Junior cadre. The South-South governors have equally reacted angrily to these moves, and threatened to pull out of the amnesty deal with Militants.

In his defense, Rilanwanu Lukeman, minister of Petroleum Resources explained that the upgrading of the PTI to a University was necessary, but justifies the same status for the Kaduna college.