By Emmanuel Acha

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola says the Federal Government has so far completed 29 of the 43 road interventions in tertiary institutions across the country.

The minister made the disclosure on Wednesday while inaugurating a one kilometer internal road at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku Ozalla, Enugu.

Fashola was represented at the inauguration/handover ceremony by the Federal Controller of Works in Enugu State, Mr Olufemi Oyekanmi.

The minister said that 17 of such projects had been completed and handed over to the benefitting institutions in 2020.

He recalled that the Federal Government had in 2020 completed and handed over a 2.5 km internal road it rehabilitated at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

“Today, we hand over this project in UNTH as a critical intervention to support education.

“The point must be made that though this is a civil work project, it is an investment in education,” he said.

He said that the current administration had stepped up the process of addressing the infrastructure gap in the country.

“The gap of our infrastructure needs is steadily being bridged by a gradual process of repairs, renewal and construction on major highways and it has reached the schools.

“It is undebatable that the quality of education will be impacted by the quality of infrastructure and the learning environment.

“Those who doubt it should simply listen to some feedbacks from students in the schools where this type of intervention has taken place,” Fashola said.

Responding, the Chief Medical Director, UNTH, Dr Obinna Onodugo, said that the construction of the road was a big relief to the institution.

Onodugo said that until now, the road was deplorable and posed great challenge to patients and others”.

Also, the Deputy Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, UNTH, Dr Tessy Nwagha, said that the road which led to the Oncology Department of the hospital had been a nightmare.

“Imagine the plight of patients who use the road to the Oncology Department,” she said.

Nwagha said that the institution needed more of such interventions in order to improve the quality of its health services. (NAN)