Lawmakers Decry Collapsing Roads at FUTO, Alvan Ikoku Universities

OWERRI, Nigeria – The House of Representatives Committee on University Education has raised alarm over worsening infrastructure conditions at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) and the Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, calling for urgent government intervention to restore road access and improve campus security.

Chairman of the Committee, Abubakar Fulata, made the appeal in Abuja on Sunday, following an oversight visit to both institutions on Saturday.

He described the Obinze–FUTO Road as “virtually impassable,” especially during the rainy season, forcing students, staff, and residents to struggle daily to access the campuses.

“The condition of the Obinze–FUTO Road is so deplorable that vehicles, tricycles, and even pedestrians struggle to navigate it during the rainy season,” Fulata said. He also expressed concern over the absence of a perimeter fence at FUTO, calling it a “major security risk” that exposes the campus to trespass and land encroachment.

At Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Stella Lemchi, highlighted challenges stemming from the restricted admission deadline set by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). She appealed for a deadline extension to allow the institution to admit students into newly accredited programmes.

“We would be grateful if JAMB could extend the deadline to the end of November to enable us to admit students,” she said.

Lemchi also urged the Federal Government to reverse the outsourcing of campus security, saying the current arrangement strains the university’s limited Internally Generated Revenue.

The Executive Director of the National Institute for Nigerian Languages, Prof. Ogbonna Onuoha, appealed for the long-delayed take-off grant, stressing the national importance of language education.

Fulata assured the institutions that the House would escalate their requests to the relevant ministries to ensure immediate action.

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Mirian Gom

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Gom Mirian AHR Senior Correspondent, has over 8 years’ experience reporting on health, crime, education, investigations, and development issues across Nigeria and Africa. With dual degrees in Economics, she combines analytical skill with compelling storytelling. Widely recognised for her public health and humanitarian reporting, she earned a Nestlé Award nomination for compelling human-interest journalism. Follow her on Twitter @mirian_linus.

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