Gov Mbah Promises Govt Support For FedPoly Ohodo

Enugu State governor, Dr Peter Mbah, has promised the government’s support for the provision of infrastructure at the Federal Polytechnic, Ohodo, Igbo-Etiti LGA of the state.

The governor made the promise when he played host to members of the Governing Council and management of the institution at the government’s Lion Building, Enugu, yesterday.

Responding to the various requests for the government’s support as presented by the chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Emmanuel Dangana Ocheja, the Enugu State governor assured that the government would construct the 7- kilometre road leading to the permanent site of the Polytechnic from the Otukpo-Obollo-Afor-9th Mile-Enugu federal road.

Mbah described investment in Education as critical for the development of any state saying, “This was the reason my administration prioritises education and earmarks over 30 percent of the state’s annual budget for education.”

The governor praised the initiatives and commitments of the Governing Council members and management of the institution towards achieving the mandate of the Polytechnic, particularly in the area of technology and skill acquisition saying that they aligned with his administration’s dream under the Smart Green School Initiative.

The governor said that over 26,000 graduands would be produced annually from the Smart Green School Initiative of the government to pursue technological and skills training courses at the tertiary level saying that institutions like the Federal Polytechnic, Ohodo would be an ideal institution for the graduands.

Pledging commitment of the government to support the Polytechnic management to ensure that the institution becomes a bride for technological, engineering and skills training, Mbah directed the state commissioner for Education to liaise with the institution’s Governing Council and management for proper articulation of the various areas the government could support the Polytechnic to develop.

Also responding to the complaint by the chairman of the Governing Council that the host communities of the Polytechnic were complaining that the state government had not paid them the necessary compensation for acquiring their land for the school, Mbah assured that the government would liaise with the committee handling the documentation of the land acquisition to ensure that it was properly done.

Making some clarifications, the rector of the Polytechnic, Dr Emmanuel Agada, told the governor that dearth of infrastructure, including poor access road, lack of hostel accommodation and classrooms, among others, were affecting students enrollment, adding that the students’ population strength currently stood at below 200.