The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has inaugurated four road projects in Bayero University, Kano.
A statement by Mrs Boade Akinola, Director, Press and Public Relations, in the ministry, quoted Fashola as saying at the ceremony that government would continue to bridge the infrastructure gap by executing projects in the university.
Represented by Mr Idi Saje, Federal Controller of Works, Kano State, Fashola said that 18 out of 43 interventions had been completed and handed over to the school as a critical contribution to supporting education.
Prof. Muhammad Bello, the Vice-Chancellor, in his remarks, said that the road intervention would ease movements around the school.
“The new roads will reduce transport cost, minimise airborne diseases and generally ease our activities.
“They will also make regular attendance of classes possible with less discomfort on the roads, while fatalities will be reduced completely. I am indeed happy to receive the roads on behalf of the university.
“I am also particularly happy that the roads were properly constructed with drainage. It is an excellent job done by the ministry and I want to assure the minister that the roads will be well used and maintained.”
Speaking earlier, the Director, Physical Planning Unit of the school, Mr Muhammad Gazzali, who represented the institution in the supervision of the project, attested to the high quality of the roads.
“I have no doubt that they will stand the test of time,” he said.
A representative of the contractors – Views Tours Nigeria Ltd – Mr Abideen Abdulazeez, thanked the minister for adequate funding of the project.
Prof. Chedi Bashir of the Pharmacy Department, who spoke on the projects, described the development as “a welcome development”.
“The roads are now good and movement has been enhanced. Things are easy for both staff and students,” he said.
A student, Omah Mbah, who studies sociology, described the roads as “a wonderful gift that will make life better for all of us”.
“The roads are beautiful and neat. We are happy,” Mbah said, adding that the excited students “just cannot stop taking pictures of the new roads”.
Mbah commended the minister and the Federal Government for the “wonderful” road projects.