By Oluwaseun Sonde
Works and Housing Minister, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN has said intervention in tertiary schools' road infrastructure by the Federal Government through Federal Ministry of Works and Housing is an investment in education meant to improve the learning environment.
The Minister spoke in Daura, Thursday, March 24, 2022 during the handing over of 1 km internal road constructed with drainages by Federal Ministry of Works and Housing at the take-off site of the newly established Federal Polytechnic, Daura in Katsina State.
Fashola was represented at the occasion by Abdullahi Ibrahim Masari, Assistant Director in the Office of the Federal Controller of Works in Katsina State.
Fashola said, "The point must be made that although this is a civil works project, it is an investment in education."
Explaining further, the Minister said that the quality of education will be impacted by the quality of infrastructure and the learning environment, adding, "Those who doubt it should simply listen to some of the feedbacks from students in the schools where this type of intervention has taken place."
Fashola also disclosed that the administration of President Buhari has successfully intervened in the internal road netwoks of 46 Tertiary Federal institutions and handed over 29 as at 2021.
Accordingly, he also revealed that another 17 tertiary institutons Internal roads are now being handed over, while work is ongoing on 30 roads in similar institutions across the country making a total of 76.
Earlier in his remarks, the Rector of the Polytechnic, Professor Aliyu Mamman who was represented by the Polytechnic Librarian, Dr. Ibrahim Idi Ahmed stated that the Project has transformed the take- off site of the Polytechnic with access roads and drainages.
He said " No doubt the Project has transformed the take-off site of the Polytechnic with access roads and drainages. The beautification, and vegetation cover provided along with the project has tremendously changed the outlook of the environment."
The Rector also described the occasion as a milestone in the history of the Polytechnic in the sense that the road network was the first intervention to be received and officially commissioned in the Polytechnic amongst other infrastructural projects.
He further disclosed that the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing was the first highest ranking public officer to officially visit the Polytechnic since it's inception in June 2020.
The Registrar of the Polytechnic, Rabi'u Muhammad Danmallam, said the Polytechnic will continue to appreciate and remain grateful to the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN and the immidiate past Permanent Secretary, Babangida Hussain, the Katsina State Controller of Works and his staff for the roles they played in the execution of the project.
In his reaction on the intervention, Khalid Sharif, an Academic Staff of the Polytechnic said the road has contributed immensely in making easy movement within the school premises, saying that even the health condition of the people in the school has improved as a result of the constructed road.
On his part , Durojaiye Philip, a non academic staff appreciated the government for providing free and easy movement of vehicles in the school through the project, requesting that more of such interventions are still being expected at the Polytechnic being a newly established institution.
Habiba Nazir, a female student of Science Laboratory Technology Department has this to say, " As I came to the school environment I noticed that the area was looking so beautiful and I believe it is due to this road construction. Congestion is no more in the school, dust is very less now. I wish to say a special thanks to the government for this special intervention. Thank you for adding quality to our lives."
The 1 kilometre road constructed with drainages in the school linked the administration block with the bursary ; physical and planning department, the mosque and the parking space in the school.
Other areas covered by the road included: the street linking the academic area , Dean's office, classrooms, workshops, laboratories; central library, lecture hall and the exit gate.
Recall that the Federal Polytechnic Daura was a newly established Institution in June 2020 and an existing Day Secondary School was converted as it's take-off site.
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