The minister of Education, Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’I, has hinted that the newly established Federal University of Technology situated in the home community of President Goodluck Jonathan in Otuoke area of Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa State would soon open for academic session, going by the pace of work at the temporary site.
Rufa’I, who was at Otuoke last Thursday to ascertain the level of work, told journalists that though academic work would not begin in September this year, there are strong indications that the university would be the first among the nine established by the federal government to commence inaugural session based? on the percentage of work done so far.
The minister who was accompanied by her environment counterpart, Hadiza Ibrahim, was there to access the challenges posed by environmental issues such as the marshy terrain and topography.
Jonathan had earlier visited the community to inspect the amount of work done and said that the university might resume academic work by October this year, as three faculty buildings and classrooms had been completed.
Rufa’i in her remarks with the level on the site said, she was satisfied and commended the community’s efforts in the accelerated take-off of the university and assured that the federal government and Federal Ministry of Education would continue to collaborate with the people of Otuoke.
According to her, their involvement in the university project has made the job of the federal government easier saying, “We will continue to collaborate with the community to ensure things are done better to accelerate the take-off of the university. The community has made the job easier for government and I want other host communities of federal approved university to emulate Otuoke community.”
It would be recalled that early this year, the people of Otuoke organised a fund raising programme to kick-start the university and with the funds realised commence work at the temporary site.
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