FG takes road rehabilitation to tertiary institutions as UNIBEN gets three

Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, yesterday said the gap in Nigeria’s infrastructure needs was steadily being bridged through gradual repairs, renewal and construction of major highways as well as internal roads in tertiary institutions nationwide.

He spoke during the handover of the Federal Government-intervened rehabilitated internal roads in the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Ugbowo campus, Edo state.

Represented by Federal Controller of Roads in Edo State, Oke Owhe, the minister said: “Eighteen out of the 43 road intervention projects have been completed, and today (yesterday), we are handing over the one in the University of Benin in Edo State as a critical contribution to support education.”

He noted that students had expressed a renewed enthusiasm with regards to attending classes because some defective roads have been made motorable.

According to Fashola, “the point must be made that although this is a civil works project, it is an investment in education.”

The former Lagos State governor said the intervention on roads in tertiary institutions was part of efforts to bridge the gaping infrastructure gap in the country.

He said following the completion and rehabilitation of three roads at Ugbowo campus of UNIBEN, “we are here today (yesterday) to hand over an important asset, 0.69-kilometre rehabilitated/reconstructed and 0.4 kilometres concrete lined drains constructed by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing on behalf of the Federal Government.”

Fashola added: “It is undebatable that quality education will be impacted by the quality of infrastructure and the learning environment. Those who doubt it should get feedback from students in the schools where this type of intervention has taken place.

“Currently, there are 43 such interventions in internal roads within tertiary institutions across Nigeria, and the students are expressing a renewed enthusiasm with regards to attending classes, because some defective roads have been restored to motorability.”