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Tag: Kogi State Polytechnic

  • High level of indiscipline among Nigerian youths worrisome, says Rector

    The rector of the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, Prof. Mohammed Atureta, has decried what he described as the prevalence of various acts of indiscipline among Nigerian youths.

    Atureta, a professor of mathematics, who pointed at the ugly trend during the matriculation ceremony performed for the 3,200 new National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) students of the school, lamented that cherished national virtues were being lost to myriads of social vices.

    He said that the school, as a reformist institution, will do all within its powers to deliver on its responsibility of molding its students into future leaders.

    READ ALSO: Kogi Poly Rector resigns as deputy steps in

    He commended the efforts of the Visitor to the polytechnic, Governor Yahaya Bello, for his support to the institution, despite dwindling state resources, and for providing the secured environment for learning, through his zero tolerance agenda for insecurity.

    “It is our responsibility to mold you as youths into future leaders. However, it is regrettable to state that the high incidence of indiscipline among Nigerian youths is worrisome.

    “The great virtues of hard work, dedication to studies, honesty, integrity and morality have been lost to social vices like indecency, list for money, lukewarm attitude to studies and various shades of immortality.

    “This polytechnic is a reformist institution where youths are prepared to face the challenges of life, such as unemployment after graduation.

    “In this regard, I will implore each one of you to take advantage of our entrepreneurship programmes by picking up training in one vocation,” said the rector.

  • Poly student kill friend in Kogi

    Poly student kill friend in Kogi

    A Higher National Diploma (HND) student of the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, Akoh Abuh Samuel, has been stabbed to death by his friend, Agba Victor.

    The suspect, according to sources, was mentally challenged.

    Victor, an HND 1 student of Accounting reportedly went to the deceased room and attacked him for unknown reason.

    The incident happened in Felele area of the state.

    The victim, who was in the department of public administration, died on the way to the Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja.

    The Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr. Luke Yakubu, told journalists on Wednesday that the suspect started “acting funny” on Sunday night.

    “When the late roommate and neighbours discovered this strange behaviour coming from Victor, they took him to the church for prayers.

    ”They were best of friends from their National Diploma days and also attended the same fellowship. Later that night, nature caught up with the deceased, and his friend used machete to kill him.

    ”After he committed the act, he told us that he threw the cutlass inside a well. He even came back to the room where the incident occurred without running away,” the polytechnic spokesman said.

    Read Also: Three policemen dismissed for drug trafficking in Kogi

     

  • Kogi Poly student kidnapped, N10m ransom demanded

    Kogi Poly student kidnapped, N10m ransom demanded

    A student of the Kogi State Polytechnic Lokoja, Miss Adetutu Adebanjo has been kidnapped.

    Adebanjo, a Higher National Diploma II (HND) student in the Department of Office Technology Management, was kidnapped last Friday, along the Itakpe-Lokoja-Okene road while on her way to her hometown in Ogun State.

    The victim according to a source has just finished her first semester examination, and was returning home.

    Her kidnap is coming barely a week after that of three chieftains of the Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA), Kogi State chapter, who were abducted along the Idah road in the state.

    The Director of Students’ Affairs, National Association of Kogi State Students (NAKOSS), Salihu Lukman, in a statement Sunday night, said the kidnappers had earlier demanded N10m for her release, which they later reduced to N500,000.

    He stated: “Negotiations is still on-going. Today makes it the 4th day now, and the poor mother of Adetutu who happens to be a widow can’t afford the ransom.

    “We are pleading with the government and the general public to come to the aid of this poor child so that we can secure her release”.

    He added that the state police command has been informed, adding that the Commissioner of Police (VP), Ali Janga gave assurance to secure her release within the shortest possible time.

  • Kogi Poly teachers embark on indefinite strike

    The Kogi State Polytechnic (KOGI POLY) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has declared an indefinite strike over non-payment of salaries. ASUP asked its members to stop going to work last Monday.

    The ASUP chairman, Comrade Boluromi Samuel Sunday, said the union took the action as an option of last resort to compel the government to look into the plight of the polytechnic’s teaching staff.

    He said although, the 21-day ultimatum earlier given to government to meet the negotiated demands before suspending the strike was not over, he said there was need for his members to get salaries and allowances.

    In a statement, Boluromi said: “Early this year, six state-owned tertiary institutions embarked on indefinite strike. The Kogi State Polytechnic was the first to accede to the government’s request. We suspended the strike and resumed academic activities, even when some refused to bulge.

    “When we reminded the government that the agreement we had with them to suspend the strike was not kept, we still continued with our work. It was when things got to a head that we issued a 21-day ultimatum to resume the strike or they should hasten the process to meet the agreement.

    “We were surprised when July salaries were being paid to our colleagues in other tertiary institutions across the state, but our members were left out. When we made enquiry, we were told that the state has no money to pay us, despite that the civil servants had received their salaries.

    “As of now, our members have exhausted all sources. They now borrow money for domestic use. Right now, our members are starving and we don’t have transport fare to come to work. No tools to work with, even essential materials, such as stencils are not provided.

    “We urge Governor Yahaya Bello to immediately commence the payment of July salaries to our members, because what is sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander. This is the only action that can be taken to abort the strike that can paralyze the academic progression of our students.”

    The ASUP chairman called on all well-meaning leaders in the state to appeal to the governor to pay July salaries to the union members.

     

  • APC chieftain urges KOSG to re-open tertiary institutions

    Chief Simeon Ogundele, a chieftain of the All Progressives Party (APC), has appealed to Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi to re-open state-owned tertiary institutions shut down in January.

    Ogundele spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) on Wednesday in Lokoja, after meeting with the leadership of the students’ unions.

    NAN reports that lecturers in the state’s five tertiary institutions embarked on strike in January over government’s failure to settle their salaries and arrears of assorted allowances.

    The institutions include the Kogi State University, Anyigba, Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, College of Education (Technical) Lokoja, College of Education, Ankpa, and Kogi State School of Engineering, Lokoja.

    The politician said that it was wrong to keep students perpetually at home, and regretted that they had become victims of the lingering feud between lecturers and the state government.

    He wondered why lecturers should be frustrated into embarking on strike over unpaid salaries, and suggested that teachers’ salaries be made a priority in view of their roles in societal growth.

    “In developed societies, the teacher is the first to be considered for such rights. Here, it is a different situation; this is sad,” he said.

    ‎Ogundele advised the governor to “critically look into the lingering disagreement”, stressing that students, parents and even the lecturers were tired of the indolence.

    “The governor should immediately pay what is owed the lecturers in the interest of the state.

    “It is dangerous for the society to keep the youths at home for so long, because they could be tempted to jump into vices which will not help the society,” he said.

    Mr Philip Omepa, President of the Kogi State University chapter of the Students Union Government, who also spoke with NAN, urged the governor to look into the plight of the students and take urgent steps toward re-opening the schools.

    “The youths are the future of the society; the quality of the future depends solely on the way we treat the youths today,” he pointed out.

    Omepa said that the students were tired of staying at home and wanted to go back to their classes.

  • Protest: Kogi poly shut indefinitely

    Protest: Kogi poly shut indefinitely

    Authorities of the Kogi State Polytechnic (KSA) on Tuesday announced the indefinate closure of the indtitution.

    The KSA Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Luke Yakubu made the announcement in a press statement issues in Lokoja .

    He stated that the move was to forestall further breakdown of law and order in the state owned institution.

    Students of the school went on the rampaged over the alleged killing of a female student by a commercial motor cyclist popularly called okada rider.

    Motorists traveling along the Okene-Abuja road were trapped for several hours, while properties running into millions of naira were destroyed as the students in their hundreds took over the road, burning tyres, in protest of the death of their colleague.

    Law enforcement agents had a hectic time before they could disperse the protesting students and forging them back into the campus.

    Our correspondent reliably gathered that what led to the incident happened in the town in Adankolo on Monday morning when the said female student had a misunderstanding with the okada rider over fares.

    The okada rider was said to have brought out his knife and stabbed the hapless student on the stomach which later led to her death on Tuesday.

    According to the source, when the death of the female student was announced her colleagues went on the rampage, besieg8ng the highway.

    They also commandeered a traler belonging to Dangote group, beat up the driver and later set the vehicle ablaze. Another trailer that was also accosted suffered similar fate.

    Motorist, passers-by and commercial motorcyclists were molested by the students, as vehicular movement came to a standstill.

    It took the intervention of armed mobile policemen to bring situation under control as students marched towards NATACO around the International market.