Judex Okoro, Calabar
The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, has stated that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is committed to providing quality infrastructure in tertiary institutions across the country.
Speaking during the handing over a 1.2km road rehabilitated by the ministry on behalf of the federal government to the University of Calabar on Tuesday, Fashola admitted that though a lot needs to be done in many sectors of our national life, the present administration is getting the work done gradually and it has reached schools across the country
The Minister, who was represented by the Federal Controller for Works in Cross River, Engr. Bassey Ekanem Nsentip, said 43 of these interventions in tertiary institutions are going on across the country and 18 of them have been completed.
“While it is true that a lot needs to be done in many sectors of our national life, including education, the Buhari government has stepped up to lead the process of getting that work done. The gap of our infrastructure needs is steadily being bridged by a gradual process of repairs, renewal and construction on major highways and it has reached schools.
“Currently there are 43 such interventions in internal roads within tertiary institutions across Nigeria and to date 18 have been completed and today we hand over this one in the University of Calabar as a critical contribution to support education”, he said.
He added that the road projects are an investment in education and that quality education will be impacted by the quality of infrastructure and learning environment.
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of University of Calabar, Professor Zana Akpagu, commended President Buhari for his initiative in intervening in infrastructure in tertiary institutions particularly in the institution.
He said the road was first constructed in 1978 and it became a footpath due to its poor nature but said with the reconstruction, access to education will vastly improve, adding that as a student then and now the head he feels delighted to be part of the success story.
He called on the federal government to continue to intervene in road infrastructure on tertiary institutions to create more access roads and to improve upon learning and research, which is the essence of university education.