Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa has inaugurated a 108-bed space students hostel at the main campus of the Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger state to reduce the number of off- campus students in the 41-year-old institution.

The project christened Abdul Samad Rabiu Students hostel and dedicated to male medical students of the institution cost the organisation about N350m, according to the Chief Executive Officer of ARS, Dr Ubon Udoh.

The major features of the hostel are 18 standard rooms, 108-bed space, 2 standard kitchens, 4 central kitchens, 4 laundry and a court yard.

Inaugurating the hostel, Dr Ubon Udoh, said the project, started over a year ago, was part of the organisation’s interventions in tertiary institutions across Africa, adding that the foundation injects between N250m and N1bn annually to over 30 universities in the country.

Dr Udoh also disclosed that no fewer than 500 students in the country are enjoying the scholarship of the organisation to read different courses.

Dr Udoh praised the management of the Federal University of Technology Minna for properly monitoring the project which led to its speedy completion before assuring that more interventions would come the way of the university in the nearest future.

In a message at the inauguration, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago also appreciated Abdulsamad Rabiu for his intervention and urged that the state owned tertiary institutions should be considered for such support in the future.

Governor Bago who was represented by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Tertiary Education, Alhaji Sirajo Saheed, said the state government was constructing a N3.6bn hostel for female medical students in the university.

Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Farouq Adamu Kuta, who expressed gratitude to the donor, noted that the institution with a student population of 30,000 had only 9000 of them resident on the campus, adding that the intervention by ARS would reduce to some extent the accomodation problems being faced by students.

Professor Farouq Adamu Kuta described the hostel “as not just a structure of concrete and steel, but a sanctuary where medical students will learn, grow and find the comfort and security they need to excel”.

The Vice Chancellor observed that the hostel will “reduce housing pressures, improve safety and enhance the overall quality of life of our students”.

Professor Kuta called for sustained collaboration between the university and the ASR and other philanthropic organisations to reduce the accomodation problems facing the university.

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