Onome Amuge
The Edo State government is looking to develop the federal-owned University of Benin through the dualisation of Ekehuan Road and the Ossiomo independent power plant projects currently ongoing, the just re-elected Governor Godwin Obaseki has assured.
Obaseki said that his administration is committed towards ensuring the university community benefits from the ongoing dualisation as well as the power plant.
The governor gave the affirmation during a courtesy visit by the management of the federal university led by Lilian Salami, the vice-chancellor, at the Government House in Benin, the Edo State capital city.
The governor who expressed his willingness to collaborate more with the management confirmed that the state government is working on the Ekehuan Road project, which will make the Ekehuan Campus of the university accessible.
According to him, it will be unfair for a government that emphasises education not to take advantage of the very fact that the prestigious institution is located in its territory knowing how much it has contributed to the educational and social development of the state over the last four decades.
Obaseki disclosed that efforts are being made to connect 50 megawatts of electricity from Ossiomo Power Plant to the Government Science and Technical College and some of the power will be extended to the university so that the institution can have uninterrupted power supply. He also mentioned that the government is working towards making the whole axis an integrated science and technology hub with a data centre.
In response to the requests made by the university management on road facilitation and other projects, Obaseki said the state government has awarded repairs of the road network in the institution, adding that the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival (NSF) contractor in charge of the hostel renovation will be mandated to work more efficiently on the site.
On her part, the UNIBEN vice-chancellor, Lilian Salami, congratulated the governor on his victory in the September 19 governorship election in the state and assured him of the institution’s readiness to support the administration.
According to her, the victory at the poll is an indication that the governor performed well and the institution is hopeful he will perform better in his second tenure. She also commended the governor for his massive renovation of the hostels in UNIBEN ahead of the 2020 National Sports Festival.
Speaking on the resumption of academic activities in the institution, the Professor Salami disclosed to the governor that in line with the Federal Ministry of Education’s demand for universities to come up with a process for resumption, the institution management picked October 24 as its tentative date for resumption.
