The University of Abuja (UniAbuja) has inaugurated a 500-capacity lecture theatre and a college building for the College of Health Science to ensure a conducive learning and work environment.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Aisha Maikudi during the event on Thursday in Abuja,  said that the project would help to improve productive and effective learning atmosphere for the students of the college.

Maikudi said that the 500-capacity lecture was a 2014 NEEDS Assessment project.

She said that the newly constructed college building,  and external infrastructures and landscaping of college of health sciences which were also commissioned,  were a 2021 TetFund annual intervention projects.

The vice chancellor called on the provost of the college, on behalf of the university, to ensure that the property was well kept.

On the issue of re-accreditation of the college, Maikudi said that the Ministry of Health had given a directive that all colleges of medicine should double their quota.

According to her, after doing so, the college needs to approach the council for re-accreditation to confirm that they have enough staff on ground and enough accessories to procure the quota.

“We are not just looking for a double quota, we are looking for something a bit higher than that.

“By virtue of our position as the only federal university in FCT, so many people want to come here.

“But with the very small quota as we have, we can not do much really, that is why we want to increase our capacity so that we can have more people come in,” she said.

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The Provost, College of Health Science, UniAbuja, Prof. Titus Ibekwe, said that the university had worked hard to attract donations from friends to assist in the project, adding that government can not do it alone.

Ibekwe said that the college was delighted in what the vice chancellor was doing, assuring her of the college support to move the university to the forefront.

He said that the college was currently preparing for the re-accreditation of the college by its regulatory body, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.

The provost explained that presently the quota for medical students was 75 slots.

“The official carrying capacity by the Medical and Dental Council for medical students is 75 slots, but we have over 3000 that applied for medicine here.

“TheFederal Government has given instruction that the capacity be doubled which means if we are able to do that it will be 150.

“We are working towards ensuring that when the councilcomese, it will see facilities good enough for up to 250 students,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the highlight of the event was the handing over of the keys to the newly constructed college building for the Faculty of Health Science by the vice chancellor to the provost of the college.