Hope rises on OSOPADEC hostel project in AAUA

FRESH hopes have been raised on the completion of the long-abandoned hostel complex being built by the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State.

The chairman of the commission, Mr Gbenga Edema, raised the hopes when he led other management and senior staff of the commission on a courtesy call on the management of the university on Wednesday last week.

Mr Edema said his administration would explore all avenues to ensure the completion of the complex to enable the university to put it to use.

He said, “We are here today to assure you of the readiness of OSOPADEC to finally complete the hostel project embarked upon several years ago. We have resolved all knotty administrative and legal matters militating against our hostel projects in Adekunle Ajasin University, as well as the one at the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic in Owo.

“We are here today to take a look at the one in AAUA here with a view to completing it and putting it to use.”

In his remark, the vice chancellor, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun, lauded the decision and determination to complete the project, which has been under construction for almost a decade. He lamented the fact that only a six per cent of the students of the university live on campus.

He later led the visiting OSOPADEC team on a tour of the project.

Meanwhile, the vice chancellor has assured the Alani of Ido Ani, Oba Olufemi Olutoye, of improved presence of the institution in the community.

Ido Ani had, few years ago, donated a large parcel of land to the university.

Professor Ajibefun gave the assurance on Wednesday last week when the royal father led his wife and some of his chiefs to the vice chancellor’s office on a courtesy call.

Professor Ajibefun said: “AAUA is very pleased with Ido Ani and its contributions to the university, especially, the land donated to us. We will visit the place in few weeks’ time, and we will consider how we can develop the land. With our expansion plans, I can assure you of the presence of the university in the community.”

Speaking earlier, Oba Olutoye had expressed the desire of the community to have AAUA’s Faculty of Agriculture relocated to the community, and also solicited the university’s collaboration with Federal Government College at Ido Ani.

The monarch expressed satisfaction with the academic and infrastructure development of the university, saying, “this university is comparable to any other university across the globe.

“We are not just pouring encomiums because we are here, but because of the practical experience we have had elsewhere and what we have seen here.”