The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, has said that the provision of infrastructure and general funding of federal universities in the country cannot be left to the Federal Government alone, urging the relevant stakeholders to rally round and contribute their quota.
Prof. Ambali made this submission last Friday (April 4, 2014) while commissioning the N62.7 million hostel project executed by the Academic Multipurpose Co-operative Society of the University.
The Vice-Chancellor, who was accompanied to the commissioning by all the Principal Officers of the University, noted that the building of the hostel by the Co-operative Society would go a long way in easing the accommodation problem facing students on campus.
Prof. Ambali told the society, “What you have demonstrated is a clear example of good leadership that is abundant in the University. This University is better by far because of people like you. I often say that it is the staff and students of the University of Ilorin that are the true better by far. You cannot readily find the calibre of staff this University is blessed with elsewhere.”
The Vice-Chancellor noted that while staff unions elsewhere are busy taking the managements of their institutions to court, those of the University of Ilorin have been working hard to uplift the University.
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Commending the quality of the hostel building and the facilities provided, Prof. Ambali said that the lecturers have proven that they really know the needs of their students. He described the hostel environment as tidy and conducive.
The Vice-Chancellor then called on other co-operative societies in the University to emulate the Academic Multipurpose Co-operative Society when embarking on any building project. He assured that the kind of support and assistance enjoyed by the Society would be extended to other Co-operative Societies.
Prof. Ambali also commended the Society for making history and for demonstrating that Nigeria can match any country in the world when it comes to prudence and accountability. “Continue the good work, Nigeria needs people like you”, he said.
In his address, the President of the Academic Multipurpose Co-operative Society, Prof Noah Yusuf, disclosed that the Society embarked on the hostel project as part of its contribution towards tackling the accommodation problem facing students of the University. He said the project would also boost the financial base of the Society.
Prof. Yusuf described the project as a step towards forging effective co-operation between the University management and its staff members through partnership in the construction of the hostel. He said that the project would serve as a model for other co-operative societies in the University to advance corporate social responsibility, investment drive and management-staff co-operation.
Disclosing that the hostel project cost the Society a total of N62,693,727, the President commended the University management for the interest-free loan of N40 million it gave the society.
Prof. Yusuf said, “I would like to seize this opportunity to encourage the incoming management of our Society to take good care of our common property through proper maintenance. To this end, we are suggesting the composition of a Hostel Maintenance Committee by the management.”
The President also encouraged members of the Society to give suggestions to the management on how best to improve on the maintenance and general administration of the hostel”.
The Chairman of the University of Ilorin Staff Multipurpose Co-operative Union, Prof. R. W. Omotoye, who was also a member of the hostel Building Committee, congratulated the Society and thanked the leadership for doing a good job.
Prof. Omotoye also commended the vision of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Unilorin Branch, for its foresight in establishing the Academic Multipurpose Co-operative Society.
Members of the Building Committee included: Prof. N. Yusuf, Chairman; Dr. O. O. Dosumu, Secretary; Mrs. B. O. Akinfenwa, Dr. J. A. Aweda, Dr. Abdul Oba-Yusuf, Dr. M. A. Ayanshola and Dr. T. A. Olaniyi.
