The Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju, has appealed to the Federal Government to complete all the outstanding Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) projects at the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE).
Ademolaju made the appeal in Oye-Ekiti when the Federal Government visitation panel to the university paid him courtesy visit on Friday.
He said the community was looking forward to the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari for the completion of all outstanding projects at the university.
The traditional ruler said that completion of the projects would make FUOYE a standard university.
Ademolaju, however, urged members of the visitation panel to write good recommendations, which would improve and enhance the development of the university.
“We are grateful for the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari to send the visitation panel to the university with a view to finding out some of the challenges facing the institution.
“I am appealing to members of the visitation panel to write a good report about FUOYE, because whatever recommendations you write for our university will speak after you, myself and the university Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Fasina,” he said.
The traditional ruler said Fasina had done well as vice-chancellor, saying that the community would support him to succeed.
According to him, 100 hectares of land have just been given for the proposed College of Medicine of the university.
“We are ready to give more whatever maybe his needs; the community is ready to support him,” he said.
The traditional ruler, however urged the visitation panel to inform President Buhari that the community has yet to be compensated for the 500 hectares of land given to the Federal Government for the establishment of the university.
Responding, Chairman of the Visitation Panel, Mr Ejike Chukwunonso, appreciated the traditional ruler for his hospitality since they arrived in the community.
Chukwunonso said that the panel had series of interactions with the local government youth associations, and relevant stakeholders of the university.
“We have seen the challenges of the university, particularly the one related to compensation; we believe that a community that willingly gave out its land for construction of a university should be duly compensated.
“We urge you to continue to support the university. We will inform the President that FUOYE is growing fast, but still needs government intervention in many ways,” he said.
Chukwunonso, also assured the community and management of the university that his team would inform the president of the university’s challenging areas for interventions.
Speaking, Fasina thanked the traditional ruler for his continuous support to the university, and for hosting members of the visitation panel.
The vice-chancellor said that his focus and passion was to develop the university and Oye-Ekiti community with the help of God.
“I want to inform our traditional ruler and the visitation panel that God is in our side, because our projects are God’s projects, and we are God-sent and we are not working for any man.
“I can assure you that we are working tirelessly to ensure that we achieve our desired goals for the university,” he said. (NAN)