Date: 2021-04-24

...as investors sign MOA

The Vice Chancellor of Kwara State University, Professor Muhammed Mustapha Akanbi SAN says his administration is committed to providing "standard accommodation on campus" for students of the University.

He gave the assurance when he addressed prospective investors at the foundation laying ceremony of the KWASU Students Smart City Project. He said one of his cardinal objectives when he assumed office as substantive Vice Chancellor of KWASU, is to ensure adequate and condusive students' hostels on campus.

Professor Akanbi stated further that every university has its own unique culture and "having as many KWASU students as possible living together on campus will help them develop a uniqe culture which every KWASU alumni can proudly identify with in the future.

"Moving students from Malete town to campus started as a dream and by September we will see this place come alive and bloom like the Lotus flower", he added. While stressing that Kwara State University, would continue to encourage mutually beneficial relations with surrounding communities, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria however emphasised that it would be of long term benefit to these communities if students can be moved to campus.

"Keeping students in town can disrupt a pristine culture which can cause irreversible social dislocation to such communities," he pointed out. He further lamented that the Institution cannot continue to keep a large percentage of its student population living off campus as quite a number of them are susceptible to negative influences which are beyond the control of the University.

Laying the foundation of the Smart City, the Vice Chancellor assured the investors that their investments are secured saying " we have a fast growing student population and KWASU is here to stay for a very long time". In his remarks, the Director of Physical Planning Unit, Architect... Sulaiman in his address stated that four investors were ready to start work on site on a Build - Operate - Transfer (BOT) agreement with another set of four investors ready to take over.

Arch. Sulaiman stressed that the University would not spend any money as the investors had the financial and technical capacity to undertake the project within the specified period of time.

According to him, buildings in the Students Smart City will be in clusters and each cluster will accommodate a maximum of 1120 bed spaces. "14 clusters will be developed in the first phase and this will provide over 15 thousand bed spaces with attendant infrastructures," he further disclosed. He further said that investors would have the opportunity of developing a minimum of one cluster. The first phase is expected to be completed by September of this year, he said. Meanwhile, construction of the KWASU Students Smart City will soon commence as the Vice Chancellor of Kwara State University, Professor Muhammad Mustapha Akanbi SAN has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with four investors. The Vice Chancellor during the signing ceremony charged the investors to adhere to the terms contained in the agreement.

According to Professor Akanbi, the investors who were selected after passing a vigorous screening process are expected to complete the first phase of the City by September of this year.

He appealed to the contractors not to abandon the project halfway as the University will give them necessary support to deliver the project on time. "KWASU does not engage in abandoned projects. We will not start a project of that magnitude only for the contractors to leave site", he said. "On our part, we promise to keep fidelity with any contractor we work with, we will show utmost good faith because it is in our interest that this scheme comes to fruition".

He further tasked the investors to execute a quality "job", urging them to view the project not only as a profit making enterprise but also from the " "moral stance of helping to mould, form and shape lives of leaders of tomorrow. "A quality job will have direct impact on the characters of KWASU students". "If students live in standard buildings it will likely influence their attitude to learn and value progress", he concluded.