In September 2019, the management team of the UI University of Ibadan (UI)under the erstwhile Vice-Chancellor, Idowu Olayinka, paid a courtesy visit to the Deputy Senate Majority Leader, Ajayi Boroffice, in his office at the National Assembly in Abuja.
This courtesy visit, part of the last administration’s strategy of reaching out to the University alumni, came about four decades after Mr Borrofice graduated from the institution.
On the visit, the lawmaker promised to endow the school with an atmospheric laboratory building in the Faculty of Science. The aim of the project, he said, was to enhance postgraduate research programmes in the area of lower atmosphere physics.
The project was awarded to Fortified City Technologies Ltd under the supervision of the Centre for Atmospheric Research of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Abuja.
The project, nominated by the senator as a Zonal Intervention Project (ZIP), was allocated N50 million in 2020 and N60 million for its completion in 2021, according to funding information available on the portal of the budget office of the federation.
However, UDEME could not get the exact amount released to the contractor from the agency in charge of the project due to a lack of response to an official request.
STATUS OF THE PROJECT
When UDEME visited the project site, it was discovered that the project is yet to be fully executed and work is not moving at a fast pace.
The security manning the site, Adebayo Segun, said he had not seen any worker on-site for some weeks.
“Maybe there is no money on the ground. Since April 1st that I took over (from my colleague), I haven’t seen workers on this site. The carpenter only came once,” he said.
The facility, located at the Olajuwon Olayide Extension opposite the university’s second gate, was halfway done with the ground floor partially completed.
Although the walls have been plastered, the inner part of the building was filled with dirt and dust. The outer part of the building was partially taken over by weeds. On the project site were some blocks, irons and other materials, indicating that work was abruptly stopped at some point.
The main building has been roofed. But some parts of the facility were without windows and doors. Also, there was no working borehole facility at the back of the building.
The project was kick-started at a ceremony in November 2020 by the immediate past vice-chancellor. But while the reporter could not get the contractor to speak about when and why work stopped, it was gathered that the project is running behind schedule already.
If completed, the laboratory is expected to be used for the study of the earth system from ocean to climate, air quality, space weather, and more.
It was meant to help the university provide research, observation, and computing facilities for the atmospheric and earth system science community.
The Head of Physics Department, UI, Oluseyi Oke, said that work ought to have been completed.
“While ordinarily, we expected that the project ought to have been completed last year, to the best of our knowledge the project is not bad at all because there are three entities monitoring the project – ICPC, Ministry of Special Duties and National Assembly.
“The timetable when the project started suggests that the project should terminate sometime last year, why it has not been terminated we are not in the best position to know,” he said.
Adeniyi Mojisola, the coordinator of the atmospheric unit, said the laboratory would benefit everyone in the department.
“All categories of students would benefit from the projects, from undergraduate to postgraduate students. We have an atmosphere. This (project under construction) is just adding to what we already have.”
Agency, contractor lawmaker reacts
This reporter reached out to the project contractor through the office line made available on the project signpost but the receiver said it was a wrong phone number.
UDEME also reached out to the Centre for Atmospheric Research of NASRDA for comments on the exact amount released for the project and why it has not been completed but the receiver said the director of the centre was observing a public holiday (Good Friday). He advised this reporter to fill out the complaint form available on their website.
“Today is a public holiday. If you have any message for him, I will deliver it. Fill the form, put your number, we will definitely contact you.”
This reporter did as advised but the centre has yet to respond, several weeks later.
UDEME reached out again for comments through the centre’s telephone line. The receiver, Oluwaseye Adedoja, an official of the Engineering and Technical Support Unit of the centre, said work was ongoing and that he would direct that the official request be responded to.
“Work is going on. I am sure of that. I will ask that your email be responded to. The funding and whatsoever is available,” he said.
However, as of press time, no response was received and the website of the centre is not accessible any longer.
Kayode Fakuyi, the media aide to the Deputy Senate Leader did not dispute findings by this reporter but said that the Senate was in recess and he can only get ‘quality information’ about the project when the Senate resumes plenary.
“The Senate is in recess. When it resumes I can help you get quality information,” he said.
Udeme is an accountability project of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID). Premium Times has their permission to publish this article.
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