Bayelsa State Government over the weekend flagged off a special
programme, intended to provide critical infrastructure in its tertiary
institutions, with the presentation of N500 million to A & K
Construction Company, the contractor handling the Senate building
project of the Niger Delta University, Amassoma.
Governor Seriake Dickson, who made the presentation of the cheque,
while performing the ground-breaking ceremony for the Senate building
and a 3 kilometre internal road project at the University’s permanent
site, assured that, the government would aggressively pursue the
implementation of the programme, to give the institutions the desired
face-lift.
Describing the NDU as a foremost university in Ijaw land, he said, the
Government has already made provision for the programme in the 2017
budget by setting aside N10 billion as infrastructure development fund
in all the tertiary institutions.
According to Governor Dickson, more than 50% of this amount will be
channeled to the provision of critical infrastructure at the
university to create a befitting environment for academic activities.
The Governor, who disclosed that about N50 billion has been expended
on various educational projects and programmes in the last 5 years,
especially at the primary and secondary school levels, said, his
administration would now focus on investing on high quality
infrastructures at the tertiary level.
While launching what he called, “Operation Change NDU,” Governor
Dickson charged the contractor to deliver the two projects according
to specifications within one year.
In their separate remarks, the Commissioner for Works and
Infrastructure, Mr. Lawrence Ewrudjakpo and his Education counterpart,
Elder Markson Fefegha, expressed confidence in the restoration
government’s ability to replicate its achievements in the secondary
school sub sector, in terms of infrastructure development at the
tertiary level.
According to Mr. Ewrudjakpo, the 3-kilometre road project, which is
expected to be completed in 9 months, is designed to link the old and
new campuses of the university,
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the Niger Delta University,
Prof. Humphrey Ogoni, expressed delight at the flag off of the
projects, noting that, their completion would not only give face-lift,
but also attract respect to the institution.