FG plans N800m research library for UNIPORT

Determined to boost research in tertiary institutions, the
Federal Government has promised to build an N800
million state-of-the-art research library for the
University of Port Harcourt.
The Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau,
who made the pledge on Tuesday, during a facility tour to
UNIPORT, explained that the document that would
enhance the beginning and the completion of the project
were ready.
Shekarau pointed out that funds would be drawn from the
Tertiary Education Trust Fund to execute the project,
adding that university will not survive without research.
The proposed modern library, according to the minister,
will encourage lecturers and students to go into researches
and come with innovations.
He stated that the documents for the construction of the
library would soon be handed over to the Vice Chancellor
of the university, Professor Joseph Ajienka.
“The Federal Government is happy about the number of
projects in the University of Port Harcourt and we are
ready to build a state-of-the-art research library in the
institution.
“The project is going to cost N800 million. We are doing
this because we know that the university is about research.
In fact, remove research and there will be no university.
Any moment from now, the document will be handed over
to the vice chancellor of this university,” the minister said.
Shekarau, who also interacted with UNIPORT
students, described projects being executed in federal and
state universities as part of the transformation agenda of
President Goodluck Jonathan.
Explaining that the TETFUND intervention was for
both state and Federal Government tertiary institutions,
Shekarau said education should not be politicised in any
form.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the university hailed the
contribution of TETFUND to the development of
tertiary institutions across the country, adding that
UNIPORT remains the only university in Nigeria with
a foundation.
Ajienka lamented that the university had been facing the
challenge of land encroachment by its host communities,
attributing the situation to the inability of the Federal
Government to pay them (host communities) compensation.