- The VC said the University can never have too much land and the institution has many things it can use the property for.
Yakubu Gowon University (Former University of Abuja) has debunked allegations of land grabbing against it by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.
The acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Lar Patricia Manko denied Wike’s allegation while addressing newsmen in Abuja on Thursday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Wike, during the inauguration of the access road to Giri district in FCT on June 30, accused the University of “grabbing 11,000” hectares of land.
“No document, nothing. That’s all you see there, fencing everywhere. And before you know it, they were going to sell our land.
“So, I’ve told the Director of Lands and the other relevant agencies to carve out 4,000 hectares and give it to the university.
“They are the ones who are going to protect it because we are going to provide the roads here. And that’s the situation. We cannot allow it at all,” the minister had said.
Reacting to Wike’s claim, Manko stated that the 11,000 hectares of land the institution sits on is a legacy asset given to it by the Federal Government
While recognising Wike as FCT landlord, the VC said the University can never have too much land and the institution has many things it can use the property for.
Manko, however, said the 11,000 hectares of land were legally and rightfully handed over to the institution by the federal government, and the controversy is already being addressed.
She said the university has plans for the use of the expanse of land ranging from agriculture, tourism, research centres, quarters for members of staff and student hostels, among others.
The acting VC said that due to a lack of funds to finance some of the projects, the institution has entered into some Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) for the development.
She noted that the current staff quarters of the institution are temporarily built on plots of land given to the university by the military and there are plans to construct permanent structures at the institution’s permanent site.
The acting VC said many investors are partnering with the institution in the development of the projects on the 11,000 hectares of land
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