Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, yesterday, said the Federal Government had provided 83 internal road projects in various tertiary institutions across the country.

Fashola disclosed this while handing over 1.27 kilometres rehabilitated and reconstructed internal roads by the Ministry of Works and Housing to the Federal Medical Centre (Owo).

According to the minister, who was represented by the Acting Federal Controller of Works in Ondo State, Hussein Olajide, as of March 2022, the Federal Government had handed over 46 rehabilitated and reconstructed roads, while 18 are waiting for commissioning.

The minister, who stressed that the gap of the country’s infrastructure need has continued to receive attention through gradual process of repairs, renewal and construction on major highways, said that the move had been extended to tertiary institutions.

He said: “While it is true that a lot of work needs to be done in many sectors of our national life, including healthcare, the Buhari government has stepped up to lead the process of getting that work done.

“It is undebatable that quality of education will be impacted by the quality of infrastructure and the learning environment and those who doubt it should simply listen to some of the feedbacks from students in the schools where this type of intervention has taken place.

“We have successfully intervened in 64 internal road projects in various tertiary institutions and handed over 46 as of March, 2022 and we now have another 18 ready to be handed over, while we are currently attending to 19 roads in similar institutions across the country, making a total of 83.

He gave the assurance that the Federal Government would do more to support the development of its institutions.

He, therefore, urged management of the medical centre to assume responsibility and make sure that the road asset was properly used and maintained.

Chief Medical Director, FMC, Dr. Ahmed Adeagbo, who stated that with the primary purpose of the institution is saving lives, stressed that the reconstructed internal roads would further ease the movement of medical personnel as well as patients from one ward to another.

Adeagbo, represented by the Head of Clinical Services and Director of Training, Dr. Adeyinka Ayeyemi, said: “When we have the opportunity for our roads to be improved upon, it was an opportunity we gladly accepted and welcomed greatly when that was to be done.”