Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Friday, expressed disappointment over the current infrastructural facilities at the Abuja University of Technology, Abaji, under construction.
While speaking during a stakeholders’ town hall meeting in Abaji, Wike referred to the institution as a ‘glorified secondary school,’ deeming it unworthy of the nation’s capital city.
Reacting to an appeal for the University’s completion by Abubakar Abdullahi, Chairman of Abaji Area Council, Wike acknowledged that the existing structures did not meet the required standards.
As he expressed the impossibility of opening the project in September this year, citing the need for a thorough review of the master plan, the Minister assured residents of Bwari and the FCT of his commitment to completing the University.
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“I am not going to promise you here that it will be September; I won’t do that. Anything worth doing is worth doing well. I cannot be a minister of the FCT and come to where we want to open a university as if it is a glorified secondary school; I will not do that,” Wike said.
The Minister emphasized the importance of ensuring basic facilities before the University commences operations.
Wike however vowed to summon the Mandate Secretary of Education Secretariat to provide the master plan for a comprehensive review.
“If I go back, I am going to summon the mandate secretary education to bring me the master plan of this university. You will see how serious we will be to making sure the basic facilities are put in place and then the university can start up well. I don’t want to stand here now in order to make you happy to say September, I won’t do that. That is political talk, am not here to do political talk, I am here to talk and do,” he added.
Information Nigeria understands that construction work on the University, owned by the Federal Capital Territory, began in 2011, yet academic activities are yet to commence.
