Kwara state University (KWASU), Malete, has cried out over massive encroachment of its land mass, ceded to it at inception by the state government for research and future expansion, by communities and individuals.
Disclosing this on Saturday at the 10th and 11th combined Convocation ceremony of KWASU, the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Shaykh-Luqman Jimoh, urged Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Visitor to the institution, to address the looming issue by constituting a Land Review Committee “for the singular task of reviewing the status of the land mass ceded to the University at inception and enforce appropriate government policy and sanctions to prevent all forms of encroachment”.
He said: “Currently, this land mass is being threatened by encroaching communities and individuals. We are sufficiently concerned about this especially as it can be a flashpoint of conflict between the University and communities and individuals.”
The Acting Vice Chancellor, who lamented that access to the University is not smooth given the state of the road from Shao to Malete community, said there are bad portions on the road and a few culverts on the verge of collapse, adding that the road provides access to a growing number of vehicular traffic, not just to the University, but the numerous agrarian communities within that corridor.
He added: “Equally, as the University expands, the existing road network is becoming inadequate and restricting efficient use of the infrastructure being put in place. These are our major concerns for which we implore our proprietor, the Kwara state Government to intervene.”
Prof. Jimoh, who eulogised the state government and friends of the University for contributing to the successes KWASU has been able to achieve, said the institution looks forward to always receiving their attention, while assuring them that the University would continue to remain committed to the founding vision and to the achievement of government’s goals.
To the graduands, the Acting Vice Chancellor, while congratulating them on their feat, noted that they have been well grounded on the need to be self sustaining and also equipped with outstanding education, urging them to define their future by refusing to be limited by the challenges around them, but to rather use the challenges as stepping stones to greatness.
Kwara state Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq noted that KWASU has demonstrated zero tolerance for social vices such as examination malpractices, cultism, internet fraud and drug addiction, among others, charging the students to be conscious of this and shun bad influences.
The Governor said his administration has established a number of facilities that are meant to support young people such as the Innovation Hub and Film Village, enjoining the students to tap fully into them to develop themselves and eventually create their own unicorns.