Tinubu approves establishment of University of Environment in Ogoniland, Rivers

…swears in eight Perm. Secs, presides over first FEC in 2025

President Bola Tinubu on Monday signed the bill establishing the Federal University of Environment and Technology, Ogoniland in Rivers State into law when he presided over the first Federal Executive Council Meeting in 2025 at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Council meeting was preceded by the signing of the Ogoni University Bill and the swearing in of eight new permanent secretaries on Monday

Those who took their Oath of Office on Monday included ⁠Onwusoro Ihemelandu (Abia State), Ndiomu Philip (Bayelsa State), ⁠Anuma Nlia (Ebonyi State) and Ogbodo Nnam (Enugu State).

Others were ⁠Usman Aminu (Kebbi State), Oyekunle Nwakuso (Rivers State), Nadungu Gagare (Kaduna State) and Kalba Usman (Gombe State).

The president also swore in 18 Federal Comissioners of the Revenue Mobilsation Allocation and Fiscal Commission.

Recall that the President had last August, appointed 21 Federal Commissioners to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, pending their confirmation by the Senate.

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The new Commissioners were Linda Oti (Abia), Akpan Effiong (Akwa Ibom), Enefe Ekene (Anambra), Steve Ugba (Benue), David Eyonsa (Cross-River), Aruviere Egharhevwe (Delta), Nduka Awuregu (Ebonyi), Victor Eboigbe (Edo), Wumi Ogunlola (Ekiti), Ozo Obodougo (Enugu) and Kabir Mashi (Katsina).

Others were Adamu Fanda (Kano), Kunle Wright (Lagos), Aliyu Abdulkadir (Nasarawa), Bako Shetima (Niger), Samuel Durojaye (Ogun), Nathaniel Adejutelegan (Ondo), Saad Ibrahim (Plateau), Modu-Aji Juluri (Yobe), Bello Garba (Zamfara) and Mohammed Usman (Gombe).

Commissioner for the Federal Character Commission, Kayode Oladele, and a member of the National Population Commission, Victoria Iyatan, also took their Oath of Office

Prior to the FEC meeting, the Council also observed a minute’s silence in honour of Jeremiah Useni, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who passed away on January 23, 2025.

Mpigi Barinada (Senator representing Ogoniland in The Senate) and Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, as well as Minister of Education and other top Government officials, were present at the signing of the Federal University of Environment and Technology, Ogoniland.

Recall that at a recent meeting with the elders of Ogoniland, President Tinubu had assured that his administration would do everything necessary to restore peace to the troubled Community.

President Tinubu had appointed Nuhu Ribadu as Head of the Presidential Peace Committee to broker peace among the waring groups that had made oil production impossible for several years, following the killing of Ken Sarowiwa, a prominent Ogoni activist and freedom fighter.

The oil-bearing land had over the years suffered environmental problems resulting from the several years of oil spillage.