By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Hope came alive for the Faculty of Environmental Studies, University of Uyo in Akwa Ibom State with the taking over of three arms Lecture Theatre, courtesy of the Federal Government through the
Presidential Needs Assessment Intervention Programme.
The facility has six lecture halls with each designed to carry no fewer than 100 students, eight offices and a courtyard for natural ventilation and lighting.
At the handing over/taking over of the three arms block building located at the main campus of the university yesterday, Vice Chancellor, Prof Nyaudo Ndaeyo commended the federal government for the intervention.
Prof Ndaeyo said, the management of the University of Uyo is deeply grateful to the federal government for the project, noting that bit would go a long way in addressing the hitherto challenge faced by the faculty.
Ndaeyo also praised the contractors, Fens Properties Nig Ltd for setting standard in quality, timely and cost effective delivery of projects in the institution.
The Vice Chancellor who challenged other contractors handling jobs in the University to emulate Fens Properties, expressed satisfaction with the company’s capacity to independently set and reach targets with minimal supervision and without calls for variation.
“Fens Property as a company is doing very well. I can boldly describe you as a faithful servant. You have been able to work with little or no supervision, you have not made us your slave- masters. We thank God for having this kind of contractors to work with.
“I want to encourage other contractors who have been given the privilege to work for us to emulate this company, Fens Properties. I say so because even in the face of the challenges they faced, they never one day asked for extension. I salute you.
“They took over this site on the 13th of September last year, and by my mathematics, it’s not up to eight months. But some contractors have been given contracts for three years, some since 2014/20l5 and they are still on site.
“I hope and pray that when Fens will have another opportunity to work with us, they would not develop cold feet. I am happy with them because they made use of good, seasoned consultants who will go to look for what is wrong and not what is right.
“Their engineers are those that can stand the test of time anywhere, nationally and internationally. That is why when I drive pass some of these roads constructed by HENSEK, I feel fine that Nigerian engineers can do things. You don’t need to go and bring in people to come and work for you. That is why they were trained.
“I am using this opportunity to encourage other institutions and even the government to make use of Nigerian engineers so that they can deliver and gain experience in the process,” he stated.
He tasked the faculty of Environmental Studies to move into the fully finished and equipped facility on or before May 15, with a further task on the facility to maintain and ensure durability of the facility for future generation.
Earlier, the Managing Director, Fens Properties Nig Ltd, Mr Michael Udofia who said the project was awarded September 13, 2022 with a six-month delivery mandate, attributed the successful and timely delivery of the project to the decision making policy of the company, prioritization of worker’s welfare and project management capacity of the company.
Udofia however, expressed satisfaction that the initial challenges posed by both soil test and cash crunch could not rob the company off its policy of delivering quality, timely and cost effective projects to its clients.
The managing director appreciated the University of Uyo for the opportunity to serve and promised not to take future opportunities for granted.
“I want to say the completion of quality, timely and cost efficient projects are in our DNA and I still look forward to serving Nigeria in this capacity. We constructed the University of Uyo Filling station and the Law Faculty- the biggest building in this campus,” he said.
Giving a breakdown of the project, one of the Directors of Fens Properties Nig. Ltd, Engr David Umoette said the three arms Lecture Theatre has six lecture halls with each designed to carry no fewer than 100 students, eight offices and a courtyard for natural ventilation and lighting.
In his remarks, the Secretary, Budget Monitoring of the Presidential Needs Assessment Intervention, Barr Otu Etukudo announced that the project was first to have been completed and delivered on record time on the intervention programme.
“We thank the contractors for not putting the University to shame. We sincerely hope that the project would be effectively used”. He said.
