Works and Housing Minister, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), says that intervention in tertiary schools’ road infrastructure by the Federal Government is an investment in education meant to improve the learning environment.
The Minister spoke in Daura on Friday during the handing over of 1 kilometre internal road constructed with drainages by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing at the site of the newly established Federal Polytechnic, Daura in Katsina State.
Fashola was represented at the occasion by Abdullahi 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.”
The minister said that the quality of education will be impacted by the quality of infrastructure and the learning environment.
“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,” he added
Fashola also disclosed that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had successfully intervened in the internal road networks of 46 tertiary federal institutions and handed over 29 of them as at 2021.
He revealed that another 17 of such roads were now being handed over, while work was ongoing on 30 roads in similar institutions across the country.
Earlier in his remarks, the Rector of the Polytechnic, Prof Aliyu Mamman, who was represented by the Polytechnic Librarian, Dr. Ibrahim Ahmed, stated that the project had 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 drain.
“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 campus amongst other projects.
He further disclosed that the Minister of Works and Housing was the first highest ranking public officer to officially visit the polytechnic since its inception in June 2020.
The Registrar of the Polytechnic, Rabi’u Danmallam, said the polytechnic would continue to appreciate and remain grateful to the minister and the immediate past Permanent Secretary, Babangida Hussain, 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 member of the polytechnic, said the road had contributed immensely in making easy movement within the school premises.
On his part, Philip Durojaiye, a non-academic staff member appreciated the government for providing free and easy movement of vehicles in the school through the project.
Durojaiye requested that more of such interventions were still being expected at the polytechnic being a new institution.
Habiba Nazir, a female student of Science Laboratory Technology Department, commended the Federal Government for the provision of the road.
“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,” she added.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the 1 kilometre road links the administration block with the bursary to the physical planning department, the mosque and the parking space in the school.
Other areas covered by the road include the street linking the academic area, Dean’s office, classrooms, workshops, laboratories; central library, lecture hall, and the exit gate.
NAN also reports that the Federal Polytechnic Daura was established in June 2020 and took off at the Day Secondary School, Daura.
