A University teacher, Dr. Uthman Oladele, has advocated the establishment of a new University in the state as a better usage for the sum of N17.8billion earlier earmarked for the renovation of Kwara Hotel.
Recall there has been heated debates Statewide over the plans of the Gov. AbdulRazaq led government to spend the sum of N17.8b on the renovation of the state owned Kwara Hotel. The University don urged the government to reconsider the plan as his contribution to the raging debate.
Dr. Oladele cited examples of reputable Universities in the country which were established with budgets significantly lower than the proposed amount for the hotel renovation.
Such Universities include: Afe Babalola University, Covenant University, Al-Hikmah University, and even Kwara State University. All these were started with much lower
Sums of money, he claimed.
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“Sometimes, it’s important not to criticise everything government does. When you negatively criticise governments, otherwise sound arguments are lost in the midst of the negativity. Sometimes, what it requires is calling the attention of government to superior arguments.
“For example, in Kwara where the state government is planning to use a whopping N17.8billion to renovate the state hotel, facts and figures have shown that that sum could be put to better use.
“For example, the Afe Babalola University, established in 2009 was reportedly set up with about N10 billion, a figure substantially lower than the proposed renovation budget.
The same things is true of the Covenant University, one of Nigeria’s leading private universities, located in Ogun State. Covenant University’s initial phase was completed with a budget under N8 billion.
“Also, the Al-Hikma University, an Ilorin-based institution, established in 2005, was built with a budget around N5billion until it expanded. Even closer to home, the Kwara State University’s initial establishment cost was significantly below the earmarked amount for the hotel’s renovation,” Dr Oladele stated.
He reiterated that the current economic climate and the increasing demand for quality higher education in Nigeria make the construction of a new university a more prudent and beneficial use of funds than Kwara hotel renovation venture.
“Investing in education is investing in the future,” he stated, noting that such an initiative would not only provide immediate employment opportunities during the construction phase but also long-term socio-economic benefits for the state.
Meanwhile several other stakeholders have opined that the project is a wasteful use of funds. Efura a popular radio program in Ilorin accused the state governor of being Wasteful last week.
The Kwara government however continue to insist that the project would lift tbe socio-econimic viability of the state through tourism, job creation and conferencing.
