The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Federal Polytechnic Bida

  • Poly students,  commercial drivers clash in Niger 

    Students of the Federal Polytechnic Bida went on rampage within Bida township on Sunday destroying shops and beating up people due to misunderstanding with commercial drivers in the town.

    The Nation gathered that some students boarded a commercial bus from Minna to Bida on Saturday and paid the driver to take them to the Polytechnic, but the driver reneged on the agreement and dropped them at the park.

    All efforts to lay their complainants proved abortive as they were said to have been ignored by all the drivers in the park.

    It was gathered that the students returned on Sunday morning with some of the Students Union Government officials but they were beaten by some boys in the garage who outnumbered them.

    The Institution’s Public Relations Officer (PRO),  Husseini Enagi who confirmed the incident  to The Nation said the students returned back to campus, remobilized themselves and went back to town on rampage

    “Our students said they were cheated by a driver and all means to lay their complainants were not entertained, rather, they were beaten up when they went with some SUG officials. Majority of them were injured. I do not have the exact number now.

    “With this development, they went back to school and mobilized themselves and went on rampage in town. We have received reports that they  started looting shops and beating people around. However, we are yet to get in touch with the SUG officials because everywhere is tensed now. “

    A resident in Bida, Mr. Samuel Isah also disclosed that some youths in the town had also mobilized themselves and were attacking residents of students in town adding that most of the students have taken refuge inside the school campus.

    A student, Deborah Amos who spoke to The Nation on phone said that there have been shootings and throwing of tear gas by security agents in their bid to calm the situation. “As I am speaking with you now, they just sprayed tear gas. We are all in the school premises, we are seeing smoke and hearing shootings but we cannot go outside the school. “

    The Niger state Command Public Relations Officer, Abubakar Muhammad said the Police is on top of situation.

    As at the time of filing this report, the number of injured students and looted shops cannot be ascertained.

  • Bida Poly spends N261m on staff allowance – Rector

    The management of Federal Polytechnic Bida, Niger State, says it spent N261 million on payment of staff allowances from April 2017 to date.

    Its Rector, Dr Abubakar Dzukogi, told our correspondent on Tuesday in Bida that the gesture was to boost staff morale for better performance.

    He said “we would continue to accord priority attention to welfare of our personnel to enable them contribute positively toward the development of the institution.”

    Dzukogi appealed to Federal Government to release more funds to the polytechnic for the execution of capital projects.

    He added that “we are in dire need of additional hostel blocks to accommodate our teeming students.”

    The rector explained that only about 30 per cent of the estimated 15,000 students of the institution were being accommodated in hostel.

    He said the release of more funds would enable the polytechnic to commence construction of additional hostels to address the accommodation problem.

    NAN

  • Magu calls for bottom-up anti-corruption initiatives

    Magu calls for bottom-up anti-corruption initiatives

    Mr Ibrahim Magu, acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ), has called for anti-corruption initiatives at the grassroots level.

    Magu made the call on Tuesday while receiving an honorary award of excellence from a delegation of the National Association of Polytechnic Students ( NAPS ) which visited him in Abuja.

    He said in a statement by EFCC Spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, that there was need for education to be in the vanguard of teaching and awareness-creation on anti-corruption as a proactive measure to tackling the monster.

    The call came amid suggestions by anti-corruption campaigners that state and local governments are aloof in the ongoing anti-graft war.

    Mr Peter Adeyemi, Deputy President of Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ), emphasised this point at an anti-corruption dialogue in Abuja in March.

    Adeyemi had said there was no evidence to show that the state and local governments were in support of the Federal Government’s war against graft.
    “If we are seriously fighting corruption as a nation, we must ensure that all strata of government keys in,” he said.

    “The invitation to curb corruption in Nigeria is open to everyone.

    “It is my desire for the Nigerian youth and indeed, everyone to partner with EFCC in this fight against corruption.

    “The celebration of corruption must stop as corruption is evil. We must join forces to combat this societal ill,” Magu said.

    The leader of the delegation, Jamilu Hassan of the Federal Polytechnic Bida, Niger State, said the award was in recognition of Magu’s outstanding contribution to the war against corruption.

    NAN

  • Alumni celebrate Bida Poly at 40

    The Niger State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Ketso, and the Rector, Abubakar Dzukogi Federal Polytechnic Bida, are to be honoured along with other distinguished Nigerians during a dinner to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the institution on Saturday.

    The dinner and award night is part of a four-day programme by the institution’s alumni association to mark the anniversary and give back to their alma mater.

    Other programmes of activities include: a road show holding today; Jumat Service and a novelty football match between members of staff and the *alumni tomorrow and a lecture scheduled for Saturday. Curtains will lower on the anniversary with an inter-dominational service on Sunday.

    President of the alumni association, Mr Koce Henry Doko said the anniversary would serve as a platform to re-launch the association, which he said had been moribund for some time.

    Koce said the body was however happy that the Polytechnic had been able to keep its standard.

    “Over the years, Federal Polytechnic Bida has grown structurally.  Bida Poly has always been known for its standard and we are glad that the standard is still there. We are proud of the Bida standard; it has kept us afloat all these years.”

    He also said that after the anniversary, branches of the alumni would be launched across the country.

  • Bida Poly to construct 6,000 capacity hostels – Rector

    Bida Poly to construct 6,000 capacity hostels – Rector

    The Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Dr kAbubakar Dzuogi, says the institution has earmarked a parcel of land for the construction of 6,000 capacity hostels by private developers.

    Dzukogi made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Tuesday.

    “We have earmarked a land in a very good location within the institution premises for the project.

    “We have already notified the Federal Ministry of Education to seek its approval as the private developers are ready to commence the execution of the project.

    “Our major challenge in the polytechnic is lack of hostels to accommodate our increasing students.

    “Once our request is approved by the ministry, the developers are ready to mobilise to site and within a very short period, the projects will be completed.’’

    He explained that out of 16,000 students currently undergoing various courses in the polytechnic, only about 3,000 of them were accommodated in the institution hostels.

    Dzukogi said that most of the students were accommodated off campus, adding that the situation has negative effective on their studies.

    He expressed confidence that the project if fully executed, would solve the accommodation problem at the institution and enhance students’ performance.

  • TETFUND spends N181m on new lecture theatre at Bida polytechnic

    TETFUND spends N181m on new lecture theatre at Bida polytechnic

    Dr Abubakar Dzukogi, the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic,  Bida,  said on Tuesday that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND)  spent  N181 million   on the construction of a 1,000 capacity twin lecture theatre in  the institution.

    Dzukogi told the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) in Bida that the  theatre, which had already been  inaugurated, has all the required facilities, including 36 offices for lecturers.

    He explained that the project had greatly complemented  the effort of the institution in providing conducive learning atmosphere for students.

    The rector  said that the institution had also  taken measures to ensure that  all projects executed by TETFUND  were  in line with  contract specifications.

    He said that the Department of  Business Studies had been  directed to ensure proper utilisation of all facilities at the  theatre

    The rector, however,  called on  students to take advantage of the improved learning facilities by dedicating themselves to excellence in their academic pursuits.

  • Bida Poly: Students decry incessant occurrences of burglary

    The students of the Federal Polytechnic Bida have decried the high rate of burglary in the off campus area of the institution.

    This was revealed in the cross section interview granted to some of the students recently.

    One of the students Matthew Chukwu HND one student of the department of public administration stressed that he is still in shock over what happened to him as he resumed and find out that his room has been burgled by unknown bandit and valuables what a lots of money cast away before he resumed for the new session.

    In his own reaction Banjo Babatunde an HND two Electrical Electronics Engineering department student stressed that stealing of properties is no longer new to him as he was a victim of such in his first year in the institution.

    In her own case Odusola Grace student of Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism Management Department said she is in debt over the ugly incident that occurred on her birthday, in her words she said she was in her room resting after the celebration when the act was carried out and to make it worse the laptop stolen from her room was borrowed from a close friend to type her assignment.

    Reacting to these on phone the welfare director of the Students Union Government of the institution Comrade Babalola Monsuru condemned the incident and stated that the reports they get from students recently had prompted the SUG to investigate the incidence and assure the victims that the perpetrators will soon be brought to book.

    Meanwhile, the chief security officer of the institution Alhaji Hussain Suleiman while addressing our correspondence in his office commented that the perpetrators have been able to succeed in the act due to the carelessness of the students.

    Alhaji Suleiman said the reports of burglary they received recently is on the high rates because the school is in a new academic session and most of the students around at this time are not registered students of the institution and in order to combat these situation, the security operatives of the institution have put in place proactive measures to ensure that perpetrators are brought to book.

    He then urged the students to always be security conscious by putting their rooms under lock and should notify the school authority about anyone that is not a registered student of the institution living in their various lodges for proper measure to be taken before they incur pains on the students.

  • Bida poly to commence commercial farming

    Bida poly to commence commercial farming

    The Rector, Federal Polytechnic Bida, Dr Abubakar Dzukogi said on Thursday that the institution plans to embark on full scale commercial farming to boost its revenue base.

    According to Dzukogi, the institution’s Agricultural and Bio-Environmental Technology Department would drive the commercial agriculture initiative.

    The rector disclosed that the management of the polytechnic had approved a proposal for immediate commencement of the commercial farming scheme.

    Dzukogi said that the focus would be more on rice cultivation, adding that communities using the vast land owned by the polytechnic had been given notice to vacate.

    According to him, the Agric department of the institution is already running a large poultry farm initiated seven weeks ago, as part of the efforts to delve into full agriculture.

    “We gave them a challenge and judging by the calibre of people in the department, they did all they could to do to make the project a huge success.

    “This is the beginning of good things to come and I have encouraged all stakeholders to take the advantage of commercial farming.

    “Let us all work towards it; it will help us to be self sufficient financially and enable us provide conducive learning environment for academic excellence,” Dzukogi said.

     

  • Bida Poly to introduce microchip in ID cards

    The Managements of Federal Polytechnic Bida has disclosed plans to introduce electronic microchips into Students identity cards so as to facilitate online registration and security on campus.

    The Director of Consultancy Services, Alhaji Shehu Abubakar Suleman who disclosed this in an interview explained that with the present transformation of the world into electronic transaction and operations, the management thought it wise to introduce ID Cards with electronic microchips.

    Shehu stated that the ID cards will facilitate an online transaction and the use of the internet for cases such as login in the examination, payment of school fees, registration to mention a few.

    “In addition, the new ID card will also assist the School in monitoring all the online activities as well as the transaction of students as regards registration, this will greatly enhance the security of every information on Campus.”

    The Director further said that this microchip will come alongside a secret code number that will serve as a pin for students to enable them access the cards adding that it would reduce paperwork and time spent on the registration process.

    He, however, appealed to students to be patient as measures are put in place to ensure that they get identity cards very soon.

    Reacting to this, a cross section of students expressed their satisfaction and welcomed the idea as they stated that it will help ease the stress of registration, paying of school fees in relation to the institution rather than forming an unnecessary queue.

    An HND 1 student in Department of Public Administration, Hope Emmanuel expressed joy over the idea as she mentioned the University of Ilorin as an example of schools who adopted such strategy. She encouraged the management to put more effort in ensuring that the idea is not laid to waste.

    Another student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Basil Okafor said that it is an advancement in technology and improvement in this pattern of Identity Card making will ease the stress of the students in terms of registration.

    In the same vein, an ND2 Mechanical Engineering student, Alegbo Emmanuel applauded the school management for introducing such idea as it will help reduce the stress embarked on by students.

    “If the school management can carry on the idea it will be a wonderful thing as it will be registered as first in history in any Northern part of the country.”

    An HND1 student in the department of Hospitality Leisure and Tourism Management, Joseph Agada said that it will be the first of its kind in any northern University or polytechnic in the country as such development is a prove of the world growing in Technology.

    Hannah Agbenyo in the department of Accountancy HND1 also commended the school management for introducing this new development to the school, he appealed to the Management to not hesitate to maintain and enforce such idea.

    An HND1 Student in Accountancy department Dada Mayowa supported the initiative of the school management, he pleaded with them to be patient in carrying out their intentions so as to get a perfect and better identity card in order to avoid the problem later on.

    Contrary to this aforementioned expressions, an ND2 Student in the department of Mass communication Clement Idoko and Ikenna Okafor a student in the department of Electrical Engineering disagreed that this idea can’t be achievable by the school Managements as it takes so much effort and finance to put this idea to action.

    It is however hoped that all hands will be on deck to ensure that this idea is brought into reality in order to avoid delay in the production of the identity card for this new section.