Fashola Restates FG’s Commitment To Quality Education As AKTH Receives 1.06 Km Rehabilitated Internal Road

·       CMD, other academic, non-academic staff, laud Buhari, Minister for intervention
 
The Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano on Tuesday, March 22, 2022, took delivery of a 1.06 kilometer internal road rehabilitated in the institution by the Ministry of Works and Housing with the Minister, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, restating Federal Government’s commitment to the development of education in the county through the provision of quality infrastructure.

With the handover of the 1.06 km internal road, which included the construction of reinforced concrete culverts and drains, AKTH joined the Federal Tertiary institutions which have benefitted from the ongoing Federal Government Road Intervention Scheme across the country which has so far reached 46 Federal tertiary in across the six geopolitical zones.

Fashola, who was represented at the occasion by the Federal Controller of Works in Kano State, Engr. Yahaya Baba Ali, said President Muhammadu Buhari's administration has successfully intervened in the internal road network of 46 Federal Tertiary institutions handing over 29 in 2021 with17 others now ready to be handed over, while work is ongoing on 30 roads in similar institutions across the country bringing the total number to 76.

Noting the show of joy and enthusiasm that always accompanied such handovers, especially among students of benefiting institutions, the Minister declared, “The quality of education will be impacted by the quality of infrastructure and the learning environment and those who doubt it should simply listen to some of the feedbacks from students in the schools where this type of intervention has taken place”.

Earlier, in his welcome address the Chief Medical Director of the Teaching Hospital, Prof. Abdurrahman Abba Sheshe, expressed happiness that an important project of that magnitude was executed in the institution, pointing out that it would allow easy access for patients seeking medical treatment in different parts of the hospital.

"We are indeed very happy that the Federal Government, under President Muhammadu Buhari and through the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, realized the importance of this project which was carried out through special intervention. The result is what we are seeing all around the hospital today”, he said.

In his remarks, the Chairman, Board of Directors, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, represented by Dr. Dahiru M.D Shehu, expressed the hope that the present administration would continue to bring in more projects to the hospital.

"I thank President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, for the road which will help in the development of the Health Sector in the country," he said. He also commended the administration of President Buhari for the support given to the hospital in terms of improvement of the healthcare system in the county.

The Principal Imam, Academics, AKTH. Mallam Zakariya'u Muhammad thanked President Buhari and the Minister of Works and Housing for the internal road adding, “This has brought relief to the people. Before the intervention visitors to this hospital suffered from dust due to the bad road and during raining season patients and pupils found it difficult to access the road."

The ward head in the Hospital, Alhaji Suleiman Shehu, expressed his happiness over the intervention and thanked the government for removing the pains of the people while using the road. “We can now move freely on the road”, he said.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s Acceptance Speech Of The 2021 Trophee Babacar Ndiaye

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This is an auspicious African day, in the capital city of Africa’s most populous nation.

It is an African day of Pride, where the story of Africa’s long-awaited Renaissance begins to unfold inside her largest country by population and GDP.

It is a day of Pride for the African Union and Her Dreams for the continent.  The policies and programmes that have been inaugurated over the years are beginning to bear fruits and results.

The Trans African Highway programme, launched in 1971 sought to connect the whole of African through a major system of Nine (9) highways, the TAH1 to the TAH9 covering an aggregate distance of 56,683km.

The African Development Bank, a financial institution set up to support the African Countries in their developmental objectives.

The African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement set up to create a unified, borderless market of over one billion people to facilitate intra-African Trade.

I am delighted to report that Nigeria is playing her membership and leadership role in all of these institutions and in the pursuit of achieving their objectives.

Only a few days ago in the city of Lagos, our private sector opened a 3,000 metric tonne granular Fertilizer Company to support Farmers and Agriculturalists on the African continent and beyond.

Our collaboration with the African Development Bank has been productive and results are now manifest in projects like the Mfum-Bamenda Bridge that connects Nigeria and the Republic of Cameroon.   I also acknowledge the support of the Bank in financing Feasibilities, Consultancies and Pre-construction work on the Lagos-Abidjan Corridor comprising Nigeria, the Republic of Benin, Togo, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire which is part of Trans African Highway No. 7 from Dakar in Senegal to Lagos in Nigeria.

I am happy to report that the Nigerian sections of this highway is now under construction on the Lagos-Badagry corridor through our local financing institution such as the Tax Credit Scheme introduced by Executive Order No. 7; and in collaboration with the Lagos State Government.

I am able to report that apart from Trans African Highway No. 7, Nigeria is also connected by Trans African Highways No. 2, Algiers to Lagos and Trans African Highway No. 8, Lagos – Mombasa.

The East to West crossing of Nigeria across the Second River Niger Bridge which will be finished this year is a major investment by Nigeria on the Lagos-Mombasa Trans African Highway, as is the Enugu – Abakaliki to Mfum Highway.

The 375Km Abuja to Kano that is now under construction is Nigeria’s major part of the Trans African Highway No. 2; Algiers to Lagos.

Apart from these Trans African connections, we are rebuilding, expanding or replacing strategic Highways and Bridges across our country.

The Apapa-Oworonshoki Highway in Lagos is strategic for trade and business facilitation to support our busiest and largest Sea Port in Apapa and Tin Can Island.

The Suleja-Minna Highway is critical to our petroleum distribution network and access to strategic petroleum products Depot in Niger State; and it is receiving attention, while the Calabar-Itu-Odukpani unlocks access to agricultural produce and supports mining and extractive activities for construction, in the South South and South East of Nigeria.

Ladies and Gentlemen, these are only examples of over 13,000Km of Road and Bridge construction, expansion and rehabilitation nationwide.

They have been a major boost for the growth of our economy, keeping people at work; driving a supply value chain, stimulating productivity at Quarries, Cement Factories, Steel Factories, and the Petroleum sectors for lubricants, fuel and bitumen.

Our most recent GDP results of 3.40%, the biggest in the last 7 years clearly show that the construction sub-sectors and related sub-sectors of the economy were among the big performers of the growth surge.

Very evidently, infrastructure investment is good for the economy.

By building Roads, we are building Economies.

The founding vision of African Leaders is coming to fruition, Evidence of the African Renaissance is being showed today in Nigeria.

The Trophee Babacar Ndiaye 2022 at the 7th Edition of Africa Road Builders symbolizes this Renaissance.

On behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I accept the Africa Road Builders Award for the Hope, Prosperity and Progress that it symbolizes.

State House
Abuja