The Niger Delta University Library road linking the main gate through the Faculty of Arts by Lecture Theatre Blocks is set for a facelift as contractors has been mobilized and seen working tirelessly as staff working under close deadline. Recently, all constructions within the university enclosure has been started and completed within the “twinkle of an eye”.
Recall that within the last three flooding years (2012, 2018 and 2019), the said road has been the only part of the university that is prone to the flood. The flood often covers the range of the admission block through the ETF building, then right to the park and left to the library. Even the pavilion is not spared.
However, with the expected height of the new road, it is anticipated that the University will be totally above the effects of the flood (if at all flood came visiting this year).
The university administration since the 2018 flood has been particularly responsive to the flood situation in the institution. In recent past, management has paved way for the Access Bank bridge from CHS road down to Newsite.
With the recent development, it is expected that offices within the library, bursary and admission department will be able to work without hindrances.
The road under construction was not really under any known poor condition as almost all parts of the road were in good shape except the admissions office frontal parts. However, management must have foreseen that the flood may come again and saw the need to avert its possible effects.
During past floods, forceful holidays had been announced and in other times, they resulted in elongated resumption date. It was only in November 8, 2019 that management saw that the flood may be going down soon and held on to the original Nov. 8th resumption date. Nevertheless, students felt the effect of such policy as many could not resume on time.
Aside the NDU, the other part to look into will be in the area of student’s residence in town. A higher percentage of students in the school lives outside the campus and many homes outside are prone to the flood. An estimated 80% of Amassoma’s homes are flooded even in the smallest flood of 2019. The highest which was in 2012 was worse-off as many homes were submerged.
With the new road in school, students and staff will be able to access the maingate-library road even during flood without interruptions. The NDU management does not use the fire approach when it comes to welfare issues. As it is, flood has not come but the management has deemed it fit to make it better before the flood comes unlike today’s political elites who mobilize contractors only during times of challenges.
Last flood holiday, the Vice Chancellor, the Dean of Students’ affairs along with many other staff were seen and posted online assessing the flood impact in this particular area. Possibly this road construction is part of the result from that assessment.
So far, this current administration has tried in the area of facilities and kudos must be said to whom it is due.
Long live NDU.
