FG COMMITS TO IMPROVEMENT OF ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS ...... Completes, Hands Over Internal Road Project at Akanu Ibiam Fed Poly

Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN CON
Hon. Minister, Works & Housing

"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 the school." Fashola.

The Federal Ministry of Works and Housing has rehabilitated and handed over a 2-kilometre internal road to  Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana Afikpo in Ebonyi State, to ease movement and make teaching and learning conducive for lecturers and students on campus.

The official handing over ceremony

Speaking at the official handover ceremony of the rehabilitated road to the school management in Afikpor, the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN revealed that the ministry had successfully intervened in 64 internal road projects in various federal tertiary institutions  across the nation as at January 2023 and a total of 38 numbers still on going and at different stages of completion.

The Rehabilitated 2km road

Fashola who was represented by the Federal Controller of Works Ebonyi State, Engr. Steve Oluwadum said that the intervention work aimed at improving quality of education was gradually bridging the gap of our infrastructure needs in our tertiary institutions.

"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 the school," he said.

The Minister, in a statement issued and signed by Blessing Lere-Adams, the Director Press and Public Relations Department of the Ministry, described the project as an investment in education and noted that over 46 of such internal road projects have been handed over in some other universities and tertiary institutions across  the nation.

"The quality of education will be impacted by the quality of infrastructure and the learning environment and those who doubt it should simply listen to some of the feedbacks from students in the schools where these type of intervention has taken place."

 He disclosed that during the reconstruction of the road at Akanu Ibiam Federal Ploy, 35 persons were employed, thus contributing to the job creation initiative of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

Fashola urged the institution's authorities to ensure proper use of the road, while embracing a proper maintenance culture.

Earlier in his address, the Rector Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Uwana Afikpo, Dr. Felix Attah, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government and described the road intervention as laudable and commendable. 

The Rector added that it would ameliorate the suffering of staff and students, improve the quality of education, moreso the learning environment.  

Represented by the Deputy Rector Academics, Dr. Ezichi Kalu also  requested for more interventions on the deplorable roads in the campus and pledged to provide the needed co-operation and environment during  such intervention works to accelerate the smooth movement of people as well as reduce accidents rate within the polytechnic community.

During an interview session the Public Relations Officer of the Institute, Mrs. Samuel Nwamaka who was full of excitement thanked the Minister for considering the school among the beneficiaries of internal road infrastructure across tertiary institutions in the country. She noted that the road has given aesthetic value  to the school and made trekking into the school less tasking.

Delivering the Vote of Thanks, the Dean School of Environmental Design and Technology, Surveyor, Iduma Aka Ibiam expressed gladness over the road intervention project by the Federal Government, saying that the road construction has brightened and bloomed the school environment.

He described the road intervention as a wonderful and brilliant intervention that gave the the school a beautiful look.