The management of the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMINNA) has signed a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with Geria Technology & Construction Limited, a foremost construction firm, in leasing of land for the construction of 20 blocks of student hostels at the school.
Vice chancellor of FUTMINNA, Professor Abdullahi Bala, who signed the MoU on behalf of the university, said the agreement was line with efforts to provide more bed spaces and befitting accommodation for students on campus.
He said the building project would be managed under the Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) agreement.
At the university’s Senate chamber, venue of the event, Bala, expressed appreciation to the building firm for joining hands with the university to address the problem of inadequate student hostels.
He explained that the partnership for the building of the hostels was in tandem with management’s desire to have over 75 per cent of students resident on campus.
He noted that the school would continue to attract investments from the private sector for the construction of more hostel accommodation for students.
According to him, investing in student accommodation requires a lot of passion and commitment to make such investments work.
“The university has a student population of about 23, 000. But we have hostel bed spaces for less than 3, 000. So, a vast majority of our students are living off-campus or living within the community. Given that most of them are teenagers and young adults, you can imagine some of the challenges we are facing,” the VC disclosed.
Bala said FUTMINNA was committed to the terms and conditions of the agreement, urging the company to equally display keen commitment to the project.
Responding, Managing Director of the construction firm, Alhaji Yusuf Mohammed Yahaya, commended the university management for finding their firm worthy of the partnership. He assured that the company would not betray the trust reposed in them.
Yahaya, further reiterated the company’s commitment towards delivering a world-class student hostels within the stipulated period, using quality materials based on the agreed specifications.
“We have a track record of similar projects across many tertiary institutions in the country. We will execute this project with all seriousness, and we are ready to mobilise personnel and materials to site immediately after this signing ceremony,” he said.
The new hostels, when completed, will provide an additional 3, 616 bed spaces for the institution.
photo: Bala (left) with Yahaya holding the MoU document
