August, 2012

Governor of Kogi State, Capt. Idris Wada, has assured Education Minister, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufai fo full cooperation towards the successful take off of the Federal University,Lokoja. He also made a pledge that he would do everything within his power to ensure the take off of the institution before the end of this year.
The governor spoke when Rufai led a delegation including the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC),Prof. Julius Okojie to visit him, after a tour of the University.
A statement by NUC’s Chief Information officer, Mrs Bukola Olatunji affirmed that the state government will soon to hand over an administrative block and a 500 KVA transformer it pledged to the institution, while arrangement for the payment of compensation to the owners of private residences on the take-off site had reached an advanced stage. Wada said a cordial town and gown relationship between the University and the host state will be maintained, alluding to the “enormous economic opportunities” he said could be derived from such a relationship.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Abdulmumini Hassan Rafindadi said: “The people and government of Kogi State have been very receptive and helpful to the new University. This has been instrumental in making us to settle down to our assignment. Specifically, the government of Kogi State had provided the Registrar, myself and two other staff, accommodation in arguably the best hotel in Lokoja for about six months; built a one-storey office block at the take-off site, brought the public water mains to the take-off site and also promised the compensation and relocation of the 25 private residents, who are dwelling at the take-off site, and provision of a 500-KVA transformer at the take-off site.”
Rufa’i expressed gratitude to the state government and its people for their support to the university. She also expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done so far. But she advised the university management to give priority to the provision of both virtual and physical libraries, to enable the institution commence academic activities before the end of the year. She also stressed the need for more hostels to adequately accommodate students, since, as a federal institution, students were expected from different states of the country.
It was the second tour of the Ministerial Team on Nine New Universities in one week, having earlier visited the Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State. The Minister was accompanied by the Director, Tertiary Education, Dr. Jamila Shu’ara, Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie, and other senior officials of NUC and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETF