The House of Representatives has appealed to the Federal Government to direct the National Universities Commission (NUC) to accredit the Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy, Enugu to award degrees in accordance with the Act governing its operations.
In a motion, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu, stated that Section 6a of the Federal College of Dental Technology (Establishment) Act 2017, passed by National Assembly and passed into law in 2017.
According to him, despite the Act and NUCs facility tour of the College in 2020, the commission has refused to accredit the College to award degrees.
The NUC has insisted that the institution, could only run degree programmes in affiliation with Federal University of Technology, Owerri, (FUTO) despite reports that the institution is equipped with adequate facilities and manpower to award degrees.
Noting that the institution had been awarding the Ordinary National Diploma (OND) and Higher National Diploma, HND, over the years, the lawmaker stated that NUC’s refusal to accredit the College to award degrees violates Section 4(1a) of the NUC Act.
He said: “The House is aware that the College, all along, has been funded by the annual national budget and is well-positioned both in manpower and infrastructure to take off in line with the new mandate as provided for by the Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy (Establishment) Act, 2017.”
The lawmaker insists that NUC any it’s action is obstructing the full implementation of the Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy (Establishment) Act, while also violating Section 4(1)(a) of the National Universities Commission Act, Cap N81, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
He therefore urged the Federal Government to direct NUC to revisit the College, and provide the necessary accreditation as required by law.
