Abudu — Expectations are high for residents and business owners at Abudu and environ in Orhionmwon local government area as Edo state College of Education, Abudu campus set to kick off academic activities soon.

Though there is no official date yet for the commencement of academic programmes, the people believed that when completed for operations the campus would boost socioeconomic activities in the area.

A visit by our correspondent to the campus showed an equipped computer laboratory powered with solar energy has been completed as work in the different departments, hostels and staff quarters has reached an advanced stage.

According to a business owner, Irabor Saturday, “the coming up of the college of education will bring many good things to boost businesses and further develop the area; even the banks, i am very sure they are coming back.

“the community have areas for people to come invest and build structures, especially hostels accommodation for those coming to school here”.

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Saturday who is an indigene of the area argued that, the college when fully operational would attract negative activities from students, adding, the people were already making arrangements with relevant stakeholders to check such, to maintain existing peace and orderliness.

He however expressed displeasure over the lack of electricity as it negatively affect businesses in the area.

“i spend N12,000 everyday for fuel to run my hotel; multiply that by 30 days, then by a year. But, by the time there’s electricity now, we can be able to save cost and run our business smoothly”, the hotelier told The Nigerian Observer

Governor Godwin Obaseki had last year revealed that the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) gave approval for the establishment of the College of Education, with three campuses in Abudu, Igueben and Afuze, to cater for the three senatorial districts of the state.

“each school is specializing in a specific aspect of teacher education. The one in Abudu will have a digital training centre to train primary school teachers; the school in Igueben will focus on secondary school and science teachers, while the one in Afuze will specialise in training teachers in Technical Education, Physical Education and Special Education”, Obaseki noted