Yusha'u A. Ibrahim
20 July 2008
Kano — When the government of Libya approved the contract for the construction of Mu'ammar Ghaddafi Islamic University in Kano, communities in the state became optimistic that Islamic knowledge would receive a tremendous boost.
But the aspirations started diminishing gradually owing to the in explicable neglect of the project by the Libyan government for the past two years.
The foundation of the first phase of the university, which is located at Gwauron-Dutse in Kano city, was laid in 2005 and was expected to have been completed last year. The Libyan government was said to have budgeted over $16.8 million for the project, but after its commencement, it was discovered that the project was underestimated, and it was entirely reviewed.
After the review, the project was then estimated to cost about $45 million. This, according a source at the World Islamic Call Society (WICS), was the cause of the delay in executing the project.
The first phase of the Islamic University, our correspondent observed, comprises of blocks of classrooms, mosque, women's mosque, offices, a modern library complex, water treatment plant and a modern hotel.
The mosque, which was to be constructed within the University complex, Pyramid Trust gathered, was expected to be the largest mosque in Sub-Saharan Africa. The ground floor of the mosque would have covered 15,300 square meters, while the height of the minaret would be equivalent to that of a 13 storey building.
African Engineering and Project Company, a Libyan company that was handling the contract, has already vacated the site and some of the company's equipment were sold to some indigenous construction companies in Kano after the termination of the contract by the Libyan government. Shubeilat Batran Associates, a Jordan-based service company which was engaged as consultant also vacated the site after realising that the Libyan authority is no longer interested in the project.
Further investigation by our correspondent revealed that the project was first halted between when it was discovered that the quantity surveyor under priced it by about 80 percent.
A Kano-based consultancy company, RATEL, was said to have been invited to review the entire project. By the time RATEL took over the consultancy already one year has been exhausted, hence, the project was re-scheduled to be completed by 2008.
The new proposal, which put the cost of the project at about US$45 million, was sent to Libya for approval, but since then, no one could explain why the Libyan government has remained silent.
Pyramid Trust was, however, hinted that an unfortunate diplomatic tussle between the Nigerian and Libyan governments during the tenure of Chief Obasanjo might be the reason for the delay of project.
The source said "When President Ghaddafi paid his last visit to Nigeria during Obasanjo's regime, some Nigerian security operatives denied his security operatives access to the Aso Rock Villa from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. This angered the Libyan leader to the extent that the issue has affected the project and Libyan authorities ordered for the relocation of its embassy to Niger Republic from Nigeria and when the reviewed proposal was sent to Libya, the government refused to approve the contract, hence, the project was halted."
Pyramid Trust learnt that equipment brought to Kano by the Libyan government for the execution of the project were moved to Niger Republic shortly after the Libyan Embassy was relocated on the directives of the Libyan government.
However, the Director of the Nigeria office of WICS in Kano , Dr Abdullahi Shinfir, said that the Ghaddafi Manarat projects were stopped a year ago due to certain technical problems.
Dr Abdullahi, in statement made available to newsmen in Kano, said work would resume at the university site hopefully in July this year, assuring that "this time around the Libyan authority will pay more attention to the completion of the project".
The statement further said that to this effect, a special envoy was in Nigeria to canvass for competent companies to undertake the project, adding that: "All things being equal, the projects are scheduled to be reactivated next month". This message, it added, has already been conveyed to the Kano state government and Amin Kanun, Special Envoy of the secretary general of the World Islamic Call Society, Dr Muhammad Ahmad Sharif.
The Director and Kanun had earlier met with the governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, over preparations to resume work at the site. The Libyan officials told the state governor that Libyan had resolved to continue with the project. The two WICS officials, who were received by the state deputy governor, Engineer Abdullahi Tijjani Muhammad Gwarzo, last week, were assured that Kano state government was ready to provide all necessary support for the execution of the projects.
According to the deputy governor, since the project is aimed at providing opportunities for enhancing education to the teeming populace of Kano state and even beyond, the state government would render all necessary support within its power.
WICS, the officials informed the deputy governor, is now awaiting the arrival of officials of the organisation from Libya to finalise arrangements for the revival of the projects.
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