Akpagu hails Buhari as Fashola commissions reconstructed 42-yr old road in Unical

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof Zana Akpagu has again lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for his support to the institution in terms of various interventions.

Akpagu stated this yesterday at the University campus during the commissioning and handing over of internal roads intervention project in the Institution by the Minister of Works and Housing, Raji Babatunde Fashola held at the 1.17km Malabor Hostel Road.

It would be recalled that Prof. Akpagu on assumption of office wrote to the federal government appealing that the government should intervene in rehabilitating and reconstructing some failed internal roads in the University.

In reaction to his letter, the Ministry of works and Housing intervened in three internal roads within the University.

The 1.17km which is the longest of the three was the one that interested the Vice Chancellor more as he narrated how the road was impassable considering that it was constructed 42 years ago when he was still a student of the University and a resident in the hostel.

The excited Akpagu maintained that the rehabilitation of roads in the institution was aimed at improving the ambience of the University Community and also making life and movement easy within.

He said the 1.17 km internal road rehabilitation, overlay; lined drain desilting culverts is coming at the heels of the successful conclusion of the institution’s 33rd convocation ceremony and his tenure as Vice Chancellor

 The University administrator remarked that several attempts has been made by the Institution’s management to put the road to shape, but all to no avail, owing to paucity of funds, hence commending the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing for the interventional role.

While expressing the appreciation of the entire University management, staff and students for the kind gesture of the Federal government, he however appealed to the President to also consider increasing the milage of the road.

He noted that "We are very excited today because  after over 42 years, this road that was constructed when I was a student and a resident of this very hostel in 1978 has been reconstructed with another one beside it. We want to appeal to the President through the Minister and Chief of Staff that we want him to give us more by maybe increasing the milage of the road to even 5km".

Also speaking, the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Fashola represented at the event by the Federal Controller of Works, Cross River State, Engr. Bassey Nsetip stated that the President Buhari led administration has done a lot in many sectors of our national life including education following its importance in national growth.

He said the intervention project is geared towards making symbolic and significant contribution to support education while also investing in it is a means of ameliorating the burdens of Vice Chancellors in tertiary institutions.

 The minister said that, the intervention in internal roads within tertiary Institutions across the nation has renewed enthusiasm for teaching and learning in the educational environment and also accentuate the quality of infrastructure.

Areas covered in the stretch of roads rehabilitated include the road leading to Malabor, road where ASUU and Cross River Community building is situated,  road leading to Medical Laboratory Department, and the premises of the institution.