Aliyu Ibrahim Jidda
The Vice – Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Prof. Abdullahi Bala FSSSN, has expressed optimism to renovate the delapidated block of 36 shops gutted by fire in 2018.
This resolution came up on Monday 4th October, 2021, when the Vice – Chancellor and part of his management team paid an assessment visit to the market to ascertain the level of damage of the building and the cost implication of rehabilitating it.
Prof. Bala was accompanied by the Chairman, Minor Works and Facility Management Committee and Director Academic Planning Unit Prof. Abdullahi Mohammad; Chairman, Commercial Activities Committee, Prof. R.S. Olaleye; the Director of Works and Maintainance Services, Dr. Muhammad Baba Wuna and the Acting Chief Security Officer Capt. Isah Mohammad respectively, among other dignitaries.
Prof. Abdullahi Muhammad, the Chairman Minor Works and Facility Management Committee who briefed the management team earlier, on the findings of his committee, assured the Vice – Chancellor that the rate of damage is still within repairs. As such, the block could still be renovated and put to commercial uses.
On his part, the Chairman, Commercial Activities Committee, Prof. R.S. Olalaye, corroborated that with the passage of time, the market shall assume a booming status, especially if his committee succeeds in relocating all commercial activities within the campus down to the market.
To that effect, both committee Chairmen had assured the management team that the block if successfully rehabilitated and all the shops rented out, has the prospects of generating up to two Million and eighty thousand Naira annually.
He added that efforts have been intensified by his committee to ensure that the relocation of all shops within the campus to the main market is accomplished.
Photos: Elijah Yisa