NEWS– Gulu University Management Team led by the University Deputy Council Chairperson, Santos Apire Richard and Vice-Chancellor Prof Openjuru George Ladaah yesterday handed over the Construction site for Senate Building to the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), the Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF) commercial wing.
This is happening in a span of time, since the University recently handed over the site for construction of Gulu University Moroto Constituent College in Nadunget to the UPDF.
This handover took place from the site at Gulu University playground in between the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment and where the current construction of Business and Development Centre is taking place.
During the ceremony, the University Secretary David Obol Otori said the Senate Building shall hold the Offices of the Academic Registrar, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic Affair, Directorate of Quality Assurance, Directorate of Gender Mainstreaming, Gulu University Community Engagement including Senate boardrooms among others.
He revealed that the building is worth over Ugx 30 billion in total sum of construction and supervision of the consultant and said that the building is in compliance with all the Uganda’s building standards and have provision for ramps to aid access of person with disabilities.
While speaking at the same ceremony, the Gulu University Vice-Chancellor Prof Openjuru George said that the Senate has a big task to keep student records, developing and reviewing curriculum in the University as well as managing students’ application up to graduation that requires a good facility and the building in question is the absolute answer.
He appealed to Gulu City leadership who were in attendance at the brief ceremony to consider ensuring that there is proper lightening conductors and good road network including Paul Opok Road that would provide direct access to the Senate building which currently is in a poor state.
The Mayor of Pece-Laroo Division Geoffrey Otim where the University is located expressed happiness that Gulu University is now concentrating on expanding within the City since in many cases he saw as if the University was expanding outside Gulu City.
Otim assured the Vice-Chancellor the commitment of the city to support the growth of the university and pledged that the Laroo-Pece division authority shall grade the road although revealed a long-term plan to tarmac Paul Opok Road.
The local leadership in attendance included the Secretary Finance of Gulu City Ms Catherine Adong who represented the City Mayor and appealed to National Enterprise Corporation officials to ensure the locals are employed as casual laborers as motivation to the people near the University.
The Deputy Dean of RDCS in Uganda who is also the Deputy RDC Orswin Sabastian OgutiLamwo thanked Government of Uganda through the visionary leadership of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for standing with Gulu University and added that the RDCS in the region shall need schedules from the contractors for constant monitoring of the project.
He also used the opportunity to thank the management of Gulu University under the leadership of Prof Openjuru who are working tirelessly to see that the university develops.
Mrs Mary Theresa Obbo, the Chairperson of the University council in her message read by Rwot Santos Apire Richard, the Deputy Chairperson Council appealed to National Enterprises Corporation to maintain high standard as they have always done so that the infrastructural environment of the university achieves the height it deserves as an excellence Academic Centre.
The Construction of the Senate Building is expected to be finished in the next three years and National Enterprise Corporation was represented by Engineer Barebente Pascal and his team and the supervising consultant for the project, FENCON was represented by Rev Fataki Gabriel and the function was attended by Acholi sub-region Resident District Commissioners and District Chairpersons among other dignitaries.