CUSTECH HOSTS MEDIA INSPIRED PROJECT INSPECTION TEAM
Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara has received on campus the Media Inspired Project Inspection Team led by Alh. Isah Ismail the Special Adviser to Media to His Excellency, Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo, the Executive Governor of Kogi State.
The Vice-Chancellor of CUSTECH Engr. Prof. Abdulrahaman Asipita Salawu received other members of the Media Inspired Project Inspection Team namely: Hon. Mohammed Ahovi Yusuf, the Commissioner for Works and Hon. Abanika Taiye, Commissioner for Urban Development and Housing. Also in the team was the well acclaimed public affairs analyst on TV Continental (TVC), Mr. Babajide Kolade Otitoju.
Alh. Ismail Isah thanked the Vice-Chancellor for giving them the much needed audience to visit CUSTECH, Osara to take a look at the many ongoing projects and also to project same to the world to see what His Excellency, Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo is doing to make the educational sector progress rapidly under his administration.
Mr. Babajide Kolade Otitoju said, “This is the third time of coming to visit aesthetically beautiful U university christened as CUSTECH. Without mincing words, I can boldly tell the whole world that so far, this is the best project of the Bello and Ododo administration. I am yet to see the project that will beat this great citadel of higher kearning. I am always proud of CUSTECH and that is why I take pleasure in visiting the institution each time I am in Kogi State. I am happy to be here live to see what is on ground and also to report to my broadcast station.” Speaking further, Babajide said, “I know quite well that by the grace of God there will be no case of abduction again on this ground that the state government has set aside for higher academic learning to take place. I want to believe that the state government and CUSTECH management have already mapped out plans ready to thwart any appearance of insecurity at all times. I will love the Vice-Chancellor to show us round and also tell us what has been put in place about security. I am saying this because there is the need to offer hope to parents about security so that they can send their wards to this beautiful university located here in Kogi State.” He said.
While responding to the visiting Media Inspired Project Inspection Team, Engr. Prof. Abdulrahaman Asipita Salawu said, “CUSTECH has been under reported by media houses and I am happy that I have in flesh and blood Mr. Babajide Kolade Otitoju who can help us change the narratives. From the regrettable abduction incident that happened to us of recent, we have further learnt some lessons that has taken us further on how best to secure this great institution. Our security was compromised on that fateful day as we could not get any CCTV footage.”
In addition, the Vice-Cjancellor said, “Our greatest joy was how His Excellency, Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo rose to the occasion by running after our foes and same time defeating them to bring back home our students. We cannot thank him enough for achieving this feat that is first of its kind Nigeria. It has never happened anywhere in this country where twenty one (21) students will be immediately rescued out of the total thirty one (31) abducted. The governor did not stop there at all. He made sure he pursued our enemies to their hideouts to rescue our remaining students who were wickedly taken to Kabba. The two students we lost to these heartless fellows remains a thorn in our flesh but we have left everything into the hands of God Almighty who is the all knowing.”
Speaking on some of the security steps to be taken at CUSTECH, the Vice-Chancellor said that, “All plans cannot be made known to the public but that plans are on for the perimeter fencing of 100 hectares of land out of the entire 400 hectares that is allotted for CUSTECH. There is also the plan for the procurement of 2 Hilux and 7 personnel on each of them to be on constant patrol on campus. As we are awaiting the arrival of the 2 Hilux, we have provided some measure of mobility for them for work to start immediately. We have also gotten 5 additional new motorbikes to the ones on ground still for the purpose of security. We now have walkie talkies that has made communication more effective.”
Engr. Prof. Abdulrahaman Asipita Salawu added that, “I have gone to the 12th Brigade Command to seek for military security personnel as we need the reassurance of parents about the safety of their children in our hands. This military men will be on duty from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. daily with their machine guns to secure the school. We have also disengaged the security hands we employed from Bauchi as we never knew they will compromise with hoodlums to carry out dastardly acts against the school. Some of them are with the DSS as we speak. As I earlier said, it is not every thing we have on ground concerning security that we can divulge. We have engaged more local hunters who knows the terrains of the thick forests behind CUSTECH. We have also from the funds available to us cleared some thick forests. We also want to mount security watch towers on the 4 corners of the school so as to have our security men have the advantage of height to see far ahead of them. We are also adding more solar security powered street lights to illuminate the school better and also solar powered cameras as our fibre cables were cut down with the camera made to face up during the operation.
The erudite professor serving as the Vice-Chancellor of CUSTECH said that, “CUSTECH is only 4 years old and fast enough to have 48 programmes approved by National Universities Commission (NUC) and with over three thousand (3000) students. We have also gotten accreditation of 11 courses fully by the NUC. Over 3000 Students who lived outside the campus. Our Governor is so passionate about education and the plight of the students that he awarded an ongoing contract of 350 two numbers that is, 700 rooms hostel accommodation each for the male and female students to ameliorate the issue of accommodation. We are also using this medium to ask spirited people who are business minded to come and build hostel accommodations. As an ivory tower we are not going to rest on our oars until we deliver what His Excellency Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo Ododo, the Executive Governor of Kogi State expects from us.” He said.
The visiting Media Inspired Project Inspection Team was thereafter lead to the new site to see with their naked eyes the ongoing projects. Babajide Kolade Otitoju also granted the Vice-Chancellor, the two accompanying Commissioners and site engineers series of interview questions to round up the events of the visit to CUSTECH.
