The Abiola Ajimobi Technical University (Tech-U), Ibadan, has taken delivery of a newly completed N1.3 billion staff office building funded through an intervention programme of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
The facility, which provides additional office accommodation for academic staff, was formally handed over to the university during a ceremony attended by members of the institution’s management, Governing Council and other senior officials.
According to Oyo Insight, the new building contains 34 offices across three categories, comprising 10 professorial offices with spaces for research assistants, 10 ensuite single professorial offices and 14 offices for other senior lecturers.
Speaking at the handover, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adesola Ajayi, described the project as a major milestone in the development of the university.
Ajayi said inadequate office accommodation had remained one of the institution’s longstanding challenges since its establishment, adding that some spaces currently being used as offices were not originally designed for that purpose.
He said the project was particularly significant because of TETFund’s policy requiring universities that had benefited from its interventions for more than five years to use subsequent allocations primarily for the maintenance of existing infrastructure rather than the construction of new facilities.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, Tech-U successfully obtained approval to deploy its intervention allocation towards the construction of the staff office building, making it one of the few institutions in that category to secure such approval.
He said the university had identified adequate office accommodation for academic staff as one of its critical infrastructure priorities and had therefore worked towards addressing the gap through the TETFund intervention.
Ajayi expressed optimism that the institution would secure further TETFund interventions to address other pressing infrastructure needs.
He commended the consultant, contractor, university maintenance team, project advisory committee and the Chief Engineer, Akintunde Olugbenga, for their contributions to the successful execution of the project.
The Vice-Chancellor also acknowledged the roles played by the university management, particularly the Registrar, Mrs Olanrewaju Omolola, and Bursar, Kehinde Ayantoye, as well as their respective teams, for providing administrative and financial support throughout the project.
Ajayi, however, appealed to the contractor, Kayode Durojaye of Kadex Express Limited, to support the university under his corporate social responsibility initiative by assisting with the electricity connection to the new building.
The consultant, Abdulateef Majolagbe of APD Consult, commended the university management for its cooperation and proactive involvement throughout the construction process.
Majolagbe said the strong working relationship among the university, consultant and contractor contributed significantly to the successful completion and delivery of the facility.
Also speaking, the contractor expressed appreciation to the university management and its supervision team for their support during the construction.
He said the project was completed despite fluctuations in the prices of building materials, noting that concerted efforts were made by the parties involved to ensure its successful delivery.
The handover ceremony was attended by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Caleb Aborisade; University Librarian, Dr Rahaman Akingbade; members of the Governing Council; deans; directors; heads of departments and other senior officials of the university.
The event was wrapped up with a guided inspection of the completed building and a group photograph.
