Kwara State University (KWASU) has appealed to the State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, to construct an overhead bridge along the Shao/Malete Road to reduce accident rates on the busy route leading to the institution.

The University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jimoh Shaykh-Lukman, made the plea on Tuesday during the institution's pre-convocation press conference in the Malete area of the state.

While commending Governor AbdulRazaq for heeding the call to promptly repair the Malete road to ease movement, he said the Federal Government's intervention on the expressway has not mitigated the dangers.

He stated: "Some commercial and even articulated vehicles drive against the traffic in a bid to cut down on the distance to drive to make the turn. This constitutes a major hazard for all users of that road. We urge our visitor, Governor AbdulRazaq, to use his good office to facilitate a flyover bridge for safe crossing of the express road."

He also requested extensions to the existing intra-campus road network for ease of access to facilities.

"Road infrastructure is beyond the ability of the university, and this is why we call on our proprietor, Governor AbdulRazaq, to intervene in this area," Professor Shaykh-Lukman concluded.

Speaking on the forthcoming 13th Convocation Ceremony, the vice chancellor said 8,119 degrees will be awarded on Dec. 13.

He said 7,618 earned a first degree while 501 bagged postgraduate degrees.

The VC added, "There are 82 1st Class honours, 1,986 2nd Class Uppers, 4,195 2nd Class Lowers, and 1,355 3rd Class graduands.

"At the postgraduate level, there are 75 PhDs and 426 Master's graduands."

He highlighted the academic progress recorded in the institution over the past year, with the Osi and Ilesha-Baruba campuses now operational.

"Both staff and students of the faculties in the two campuses have been integrated in these communities with lectures and research activities ongoing for the 2025/2026 session.

"This has facilitated the spread of the institution to other parts of the state with the expected socio-economic benefits to the communities hosting them.

"With 81 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the three campuses now, we have maintained our success rate in the accreditation status of programmes," the VC concluded.

(NAN)