FG donates lecture theatre, offices to lecturers at UNIUYO

Akpan Umoh, Uyo

The Federal Government through the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) has donated and furnished lecture theatre with offices to lecturers at the University of Uyo to enhance teaching and learning.

Speaking during the handing over of the facilities to the university on Tuesday, the Secretary, NEEDS Assessments Committee, Mr Otu Etukudoh, said the building was donated to the institution to ameliorate the scarcity of lecture theatre in the institution.

Etukudoh urged the university to make effective use of the facilities and ensure adequate maintenance to avoid rot.

“This is the first project of NEEDS that has been completed and delivered to the University of Uyo. We must commend the contractor for building the facility to specification and prompt delivery.

“The University management should ensure proper maintenance of the facility for the benefit of the students and lecturers.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nyaudo Ndaeyo, said the facilities would ease the accommodation problem experienced by the institution.

He assured that the management and students of the university would ensure proper maintenance of facilities for the benefit of the institution.

Nyaudo thanked the Federal Government and NEEDS for the support in infrastructure development at the university.

He commended the contractor for the quality and prompt delivery of the projects, stressing that as an indigenous contractor, he had performed creditably.

“We need accommodation for our students both for teaching and residence. 

“What we have as a direct benefit is that the accommodation problem is going to ease out the way it is because we are going to move the school of Environmental Studies from the town campus annex to the main campus immediately.

“I have mentioned to the Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Studies that these students should take ownership of the facility.

“If they take care of the property the tendency of us to be called to replace will be less. We will make provision for annual renovation and retouching of our buildings to make it fine, ” Ndaeyo said.

In his remarks, Mr Michael Udofia, Managing Director, FENS Properties Nigeria Ltd., the contractor handling the project, said the lecture theatre was constructed in line with international best practices to ensure quality and durability.

Udofia said that even though the project was completed within record time, the company experienced a scarcity of cash to pay its workers during the initial introduction of the cashless policy in the country.

“I want to say the completion of quality, timely and cost-efficient projects are in our DNA and I still look forward to serving Nigeria in this capacity.

“First and foremost, the challenge was the soil test, when the soul test came, we need to recalculate the foundation of the building then suddenly cashless policy came.

“The lack of cash, most of the workers we used were demanding physical cash and most of them do not even have bank accounts, as a matter of fact, we tried to surmount this challenge.

“We were given seven months by the University to complete the project and if not, the things I mentioned, we would have completed within five months,” Udofia said.

Udofia commended the federal government and NEEDS for awarding his company the contract, adding that his company has a track record of delivering quality projects on a good time.

Our correspondent reports that the facility has a lecture theatre that will accommodate hundreds of students and offices for lecturers.