The Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, who was represented by the Federal Controller of Works Zamfara State, Engineer Hasssan Muhammed has said that the Federal Government’s intervention in the development of infrastructure in the nation’s tertiary institutions to boost quality education, is giving students a renewed hope and enthusiasm with regards to attending classes because some defective roads have been restored to motorable state.
He made the remarks on the 19th of March,2020 , when he handed over rehabilitated 2.45 kilometres internal roads by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State.
The Minister said, “It is undebatable that 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 the students of the schools where this type of intervention has taken place.”
The President of the Students Union Government of the Federal Polytechnic Kaura Namoda, Comrade Ali Abdulmalik, said that Federal Government’s intervention in the internal roads of the institution had been a big blessing to the students and management of the institution as well.
“We are grateful to the minister. We are very happy that the roads have been fixed. Because of the sandy nature of the roads before the intervention of Federal Government, students usually fall from bikes. We have recorded a lot of accidents on these roads,” Abdulmalik explained.
Reiterating Mr. Abdulmalik’s position, the Vice President of the Students Union, Comrade Obinna Hannah said that she was happy that the project was completed during her time.
“We thank President Buhari and the Honourable Minister for making this happen. It will attract more students to the school. We have been posting the pictures of the roads on our social media platforms to serve as encouragement to would-be students of the institution.”
The summary of all these feedbacks from students according to Fashola, demonstrated that the gap of the nation’s infrastructural needs was steadily being bridged by a gradual process of repairs and construction on major highways and schools.
Fashola said, “Currently, there are forty three of such interventions in internal roads within tertiary institutions across Nigeria.” Federal Government had completed eighteen out of the forty three of which Federal Polytechnic Kaura Namoda was one of the beneficiaries with three roads: Central Administration, Computer Science and the Second gate roads.
Responding, the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic Kaura Namoda, Engineer Yahaya Muhammed Bande said that the Polytechnic which was established 36years ago had suffered deplorable road condition especially during the rainy season.
“We have it on our memory how we used to suffer on these roads during the rainy season, but today, the story has changed. We thank President Muhammadu Buhari for remembering us, “he said.
Muhammed Bande promised to help maintain the roads and put them to good use.
Boade Akinola
D (Press and Public Relations)
