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The federal
government has approved the establishment of six new federal
universities, which will be spread across the six geo political zones
of the country in states where there are no federal universities.

Council also
approved the sum of N41 billion for the construction and rehabilitation
of eight different road projects across the six geo-politcal zones of
the country.

The minister of
information and communications, Dora Akunyili, who briefed journalists
after the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting, which lasted from
10am to about 4:30pm yesterday, with 22 memos discussed, said the
council also approved $231.11 million for the procurement of direct
data capturing machines for the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) for voters registration.

She briefed
alongside Godday Orubebe, minister of Niger Delta Affairs; Sanusi
Daggash, minister of works; Andrew Obadiah, minister of water
resources; Labaran Maku, minister of state, information, and
communications; Kenneth Gbagi, minister of state education; and Nuhu
Wya, minister of state power.

The approval of the
six universities, Mrs. Akunyili said, is part of a move designed by the
federal government to bridge the admission gap for Nigerian students.

“We talk about
quality, considering the fact that as at today, only about 10 percent
of qualified candidates have access to universities, and we want as
many Nigerians as possible to have access. Council approved this
because government of President Goodluck Jonathan does not only want to
improve quality, but also to improve access, which is as important as
quality,” she said.

Widening roads

When asked why the
government is making such a decision at a time when existing
universities are poorly funded, the minister said, “Establishing new
universities will not be lowering on standard in any way, we just want
to ensure that those places where they are a lot of Nigerians, council
approved today to establish one federal university in the six geo
political zones of the country in the states which do not have federal
university. In future, we are even going to have more.

“The Minister of
Education actually presented 44 universities; we deliberated that it
will be approved in phases, starting with the six universities,” she
explained.

Mr. Daggash put the
total amount of money approved for the eight different road projects
across the six geo-political zones at a cost of N41 billion.

The road approved
for construction and rehabilitation are the Apapa-Oshodi expressway;
Oshogbo-Ilesa road; Ijebu Ode-Ibadan road; Abeokuta-Ibadan expressway;
Ibadan-Lagere-Iremo-Enuwa-Ilesa By-pass; Ahoada-Omok u-road phase 1;
Ozalla-Akpugo-Amagunze-Ihuokpara-Nkomoro-Isu-Onicha road; Umuahia-Ikot
Epene road; Suleja-Minna road; and Otukpa-Oweto road.