By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo

THE Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Westgate Group, the consultant handling the Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre, DASAC project, in Ibiono Ibom local government area of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Churchill Udoh, has said the project has reached 98 per cent completion.

Udoh disclosed this yesterday during inspection of the project by newsmen led by Mr. Essien Ndueso, the Special Assistant to the governor on Research and Documentation.

He explained that the project which was started in the year 2020, would be ready for commissíoning by the State government in the next few weeks, adding that the institution will commence with no fewer than 500 students.

He also explained that the institution was strategically located in a place that is central and connects all the three senatorial districts of the state.

His words: “Every facility you have seen here meets international standard. This institution sits on 12.8hectares of land, and it is 100 per cent fenced round. We stated this project in 2020. So far it has reached 98 per cent completion

“The institution is going to commence with 500 students, but the space we have here has the capacity to accommodate 2,000 students in the next two years. Our vision is that in the next 5years, we will have up to 10,000 students here.

“And after six months of commencement, this institution will become self sustaining. This place was formerly a Government Technical College, that existed between 1970s and 1980’s. As you can see the old buildings have been reconstructed.

“We have also added 18 brand new structures.
When government decided to site the Dakadda project here it acquired more land from the community”

Also speaking, the Education curriculum consultant, Mr. Bosun Adedokun noted that there are 10 faculties in the institution including Faculty of, Agric-business and Food Security, Civil-Technologies Faculty; Fashion & Lifestyle business faculty, Sports faculty among others.

“We recognize the fact that in this 21st century technology is the major game changer and aldo huge employer of Labour, so we are also focusing on Information & Communication Technology.

“All the faculties that we have here are tailored to meet the needs of the society, first Akwa Ibom, then the South South, and Nigeria as a country. Again, we recognise the fact that there are three major sectors booming in the South South region.

“So we have courses around Oil & Gas, Maritime and Aviation sectors, because of the fact that we don’t have enough manpower to fit into the sectors. It is a whole package”, Adedokun noted.

Among the facilities inspected were the Lawn Tennis Court, the male and female hostels, Classroom blocks, Staff Quarters, 1,500 capacity Auditorium, Three Surveillance Centres, Goat pence, Hatchery, Centre for Professional Examinations, Dining Hall for 500 students, Industrial kitchen, Department Heads offices, and the different faculties.