Physical Planning

Introduction
The Physical Planning Unit is a Unit under the Vice-Chancellor’s office. It was created in 1979 on the recommendation of the National Universities Commission for Second Generation Universities. It is charged with the responsibility to continuously plan, coordinate, monitor, process and evaluate the physical implementation of the University master plan. The Unit initiates projects starting from the users Departments briefing stage and processes some through committees in the university up to the governing council. It makes recommendations on appointments of Consultants and Contractors from design stage till project completion. The Unit prepares necessary documents for submission to the National Universities Commission, The Education Tax Fund and other funding/donor organization. The Unit is responsible for ensuring that University projects are processed through the approved Federal Government Due Process Procurement Procedure. It prepares appropriate progress reports at regular intervals on projects. It also directly designs projects from time to time.

Staffing
The Unit is headed by a director who is responsible to the Vice-Chancellor. The Director is supported by a small team of professional and junior staff. The senior staff includes a professionally qualified Architect, Quantity Surveyor, Engineers and other technical staff.

CAPITAL PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURE

Capital projects are initiated in a number of ways. These include academic programmes/briefs which are translated in physical needs, requirements that are highlighted by Departments and Faculties to the administration, needs/facilities highlighted by the physical planning unit, works department or administration, normal development goal needs etc. All these requirements (building and infrastructure) both new and rehabilitation are referred to the Physical Planning Unit and Works Department as the case maybe for proper assessments and documentations. Such assessments include checks against the master plan, NUC guidelines, existing facilities, rough estimated cost, sketches where necessary, etc.

These proposals are then processed through the Physical Planning and capital Works Committee, Development Committee, Finance and General Purposes Committee and finally the Governing Council. The list of projects is thereafter passed to NUC. Federal Government through the National Universities Commission as projects are monitored and reported upon by the NUC and the Federal Ministry of Finance. Other projects are processed to donor/funding agencies.

For any particular year, since funding has always been inadequate to meet all project proposed, projects are prioritized at the various level of consideration. In addition, available fund in the year is allocated to completion of on-going projects and priority for the new ones as decided by council. For new projects, once funds become available, administration initiate their implementation through the procedure out in the Bureau of Public Procurement Due Process guidelines.

PHYSICAL FACILITIES:

Main and Mini Campus
The University has a master plan for physical development on its main campuses and generally, physical development on the Campus has conformed with the master plan.

Actual implementation of the master plan for the Main Campus commenced in 1979 with the construction of the main road to the main campus including a bridge over the Oyun River. With the opening up of the Main Campus, several construction activities followed in close succession. Senior Staff Quarters phase 1, (80 units) the Faculties of Science and Engineering (10 blocks x 4 Lecture Theatres) and some student hostels were all successfully completed on schedule such that academic activities commenced on the Main Campus with 1982/83 session.

Capital development on the main campus has since progressed steadily though at a slow tempo particularly between 1983 and 1998, when capital allocation to Universities drastically reduced. Capital allocation pick up again in 2004.

Gradual movement to the Main Campus commenced with the 1982/83 Academic Session with the Faculties of Science and Engineering. The Faculty of Agriculture was added in 1985. Law in 1996, Education in 2002 while Arts and Business and Social Sciences fully moved to the Main Campus in 2007.

All Faculties except the College of Health Sciences are now accommodated on the Main Campus.

Apart from the Academic Buildings and Student Hostel, the University has constructed a Seven Floor Senate Building, a 2000-Seater Auditorium, a Dam & Water Treatment Plant, Central Power Station, Sport Complex etc on the Main Campus.

Over the years, projects implementation has been planned and executed within the available funds such that the University has eared for itself the reputation of not having any abandoned projects.

Other landed properties

In addition to the Mini and Man Campuses, the University has developed some facilities at Sabo Oke and the GRA Estate both within Ilorin. as Sabo Oke, the university has several classrooms built which were formerly used by the university primary school and now being used by University Institute of Education, faculty of Business & Social Sciences Programme and the Women Association as a Kindergarten School. At the GRA Estate, the University has residential Housing Units, Bungalows, maissonets and blocks of flats for a total of 56 families.

FUNDING OF CAPITAL PROJECTS:
Until 1999, funding of capital projects was one hundred percent from the federal Government through NUC. However, there was a constant decline in capital funding from the Government; in fact between January 2002 and June 2004 the University did not receive any direct capital funds from NUC/FGN.

It noteworthy that from 1999, the University started to receive regular annual funds for projects from the Education Tax Fund (ETF). This source has turned out to be a major source of capital funds to the University.

In addition, the University has been able to attract the support of individual donors who have single-handedly constructed projects for the University. Also, organization / parastatals such as the CBN and NDIC and the Kwara State Government have come to the aid of the University in area of capital projects development in the last few years.

It is noteworthy that despite the regular shortfalls from Government over the years, the University of Ilorin is today proud of the fact that it does not have a single abandoned project on its campuses. All projects stated by the university have been successfully completed and put to good use. This no doubt is as a result of good planning and designing, coordination and supervision.

CONCLUSION
The Unit has over the years taken every necessary step to ensure that all physical developments of the University are guided by the master plan, NUC guidelines/approvals and principle of product spending. Projects are designed to be cost efficient, modest and functional. They are closely monitored and supervised to successful completion. Within the University system, the University of Ilorin is known as an institution without abandoned projects.

The unit appreciates the full cooperation and trust of the University authorities including the governing council, University administration and the entire University community that has made our modest achievements over the years possible.