FUOYE Governing Council calls for FG’s intervention on infrastructure deficit

The newly appointed Chairperson of the Governing Council, Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Kayode Ojo, has lamented that the facilities available in the institution are grossly inadequate for its growing student population.

To this end, he called for an urgent intervention from the federal government.

Mr Ojo, alongside other members of the council, was in the school on Wednesday, on a three-day working visit for inspection of projects and familiarisation tour of the Oye and Ikole Ekiti campuses.

He said he was impressed with what the management of the institution has been able to do for the young university.

He disclosed that the council was determined to work hand-in-hand with the Vice Chancellor of the school to sustain the tempo and take it higher than they met it.

“This institution is very important. With the student population and the fact that this is one of the most subscribed by prospective JAMB candidates, it is obvious that the facilities here presently are below fifty per cent of the required infrastructure for such growth.

“We need government intervention immediately and we will do everything humanly possible and within the prism of law to attract government attention,” he said.

Mr Ojo expressed optimism that the institution would get a lot of support from different agencies of government and other well-meaning people to meet up with its infrastructure needs.

“These facilities are needed so the students can be well prepared for the future. As you are aware, this institution has multiple campuses. So, we are going to make a case that the university be treated as such,” he stressed.

Speaking further, Mr Ojo said the council was currently proposing to sit down and develop a plan so they could factor in where the government intervention would be needed and where individuals could step in.

He reiterated that the school required external support to complement government’s financial responsibility to the University.

While emphasising the fact that Education was a social service that students alone could not pay for, Mr Ojo urged both government and individuals to step in to further impact the institution.

Earlier, in his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor, Abayomi Fasina, said his management team was elated to receive Mr Ojo and other council members.

He described their period of appointment as timely and necessary for the upliftment of the 13-year-old institution.

Addressing journalists on the sideline of the visit, Mr Fasina, a professor, stated that the management of the school has, so far, touched all aspects of the university positively, starting from academics to farming activities.

According to him, “We now have 16 hectares of palm trees and pineapples, which is one way to support the federal government on food security. Of course, we also use it as training for our students. We have also built several classrooms, at least more than 40 as I speak.

“We have changed the face of the university. That is why I am not surprised that the university is ranked 4th in the most subscribed universities index in Nigeria. The courses are available, the quality of our lecturers is good and we have a stable calendar.

“Looking at all parameters, you know FUOYE is growing and will continue to grow. You will recall that eight of our students recently passed ICAN at 300 level and six of them got scholarships from degree to PhD level in a foreign university. If they are not good, they won’t be achieving these feats.”