By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
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.
This was contained in a statement signed and issued by Press and Public Relations Blessing Lere-Adams Director.
Speaking at the official handover ceremony of the rehabilitated road to the school management in Afikpor,Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, 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.
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 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.
