The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Poly

  • Poly restores SUG, 12 years after

    Twelve years after the Students’ Union Government (SUG) was proscribed at the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic (AKPOLY) in Ikot-Osura, the management has lifted ban on the union activities. The decision, however, was taken after several demonstrations by students.

    The polytechnic directed students to nominate members of electoral committee to conduct elections into the union offices. The election was held last week.

    Several students showed interest to contest in the race. There were three candidates vying for the president. They are Paul Ibara, Ubok-Mfon Iwok, and Ben Effiong. Accreditation was done at the school gate before they were allowed to go into the campus to vote. The process was orderly as the school security officers were on ground to secure the exercise.

    The election started at 8:20am and ended at 1pm. After the exercise, Iwok was declared the president-elect beating his closest rival by one vote. According to the results released by the electoral committee, Paul garnered 498 votes, Ben had 596 and Iwok, 597 votes.

    But some supporters of the unsuccessful contestants accused Iwok of rigging the election. The winner denied the claim, saying students’ support made him to triumph at the poll.

    A student, Mike Ibangha, said the outcome of the election was satisfactory, adding that it was beginning of a new era for the students.

     

  • Abia Poly to get second campus

    Abia Poly to get second campus

    The Rector, Abia State Polytechnic, Sir Allwell Abalogu Onukaogu, has said construction work would begin on the second campus of the institution in Osisioma, on the outskirts of the commercial city soon .

    The campus, when completed, will accommodate new programmes and students’ hostels among other facilities.

    Onukaogu, who disclosed this to reporters, said the foundation laying ceremony of the campus would be performed by Governor Theodore Ahamefule Orji.

    “The campus when completed will solve students’ accommodation problems, provide space for the establishment of more departments, mass communication among other humanities courses and would be equipped with modern sports’ facilities for students’ recreation

    “This place was never supposed to be a temporary site because the idea of the polytechnic in Aba was to promote the industrial potentials that Aba have, so there was no need taking the campus out of Aba.

    “We intend building hostels for our students over there. Zenith Bank has indicated interest to partner with us through Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. Secondly, all Humanities and Management Colleges will go there. There is a plan to establish a School of Mass Communication. There will be a modern library and a mini administrative block because here (present location) remains the main campus.

    “There will be sporting facilities so that students can recreate.  Then as time goes on, we may begin to think of agricultural programmes because the land is big enough to accommodate an agricultural department and students.”

    Orji expressed confidence in the ability of the institution’s graduates to compete favourably with others.

    “The equipments we have in surveying, not to talk of environmental science cost millions of naira and I tell you that there are a very few states in the country that has the equipment that we have here.  In fact, old polytechnics don’t even have the kind of equipment that we have.  Come to our hospitality and tourism department, we have 28 chalets that can stand any level of competition with five star hotels.

    “Our Food Science and Technology graduates can work in the most modern food establishment unlike their contemporaries that need to be retrained before working in a modern food processing factory. We have facilities that can bake 1,000 loaves of bread in 30 minutes.

    “Institutions now ask us to fabricate dredging machines for them which other polytechnics that are even up to 40 years cannot do.

    “So, when they say, there was a polytechnic before that was teaching Accountancy, Public Administration, what do you need to teach those programmes? You need classroom and manpower, but if you are teaching Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Electrical Electronic, you do not only need staff, you need equipment and we have these equipments not only in quantity, but the latest versions of the equipment,” he said.

     

     

  • Students donate materials to poly

    The Association of Applied Sciences Students (AASS), Rufus Giwa Polytechnic in Owo (RUGIPO), Ondo State chapter, has to the polytechnic’s Faculty of Science. The donated materials include millennium signpost, laboratory wears and computer accessories.

    While receiving the materials, the Rector, Prof Igbekele Ajibefun, praised the students’ thoughtfulness, saying the donated materials would aid learning. He hailed the efforts of the Dean of the faculty, Mr G.A. Ogundahunsi, the association Adviser, Mr I.O. Ajigbo and Faculty Officer Mr Akintan Akinyemi, who supervised the affairs of the students’ group.

    The Rector promised the students that the equipment would be used judiciously.

    The president of the association, Joel Tafa, said the donation was the group’s capital project for the year, saying the materials were students’ contributions to management’s efforts to improve state of infrastructure on the campus. “This donation would not be possible without the support of members of the ýexecutive,” he said.

    At the presentation of the materials were heads of departments in the faculty

  • Poly resumes session

    The Kwara State Polytechnic (KWARAPOLY) in Ilorin has announced the resumption date for both fresh and returning students for the 2014/2015 academic session. In a statement issued on the institution’s website, returning students were expected back in school last Monday, while freshers are enjoined to be on campus next Monday.

    The school’s Deputy Rector, Mr. Afolabi Ajibola disclosed that the institution would not admit more than its quota, adding that registration process would be hastened up.

  • Controversial union election at IBADAN POLY

    Students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan (IBADAN POLY) have elected officers into the Students’ Union Government (SUG). The election, held penultimate Thursday, lasted for four hours. Polling centres were opened at each faculty to enable students participated fully.

    The exercise was preceded by a rowdy manifesto on Wednesday. The election was almost marred by violence when a presidential candidate learnt there was massive thumb-printing at the north campus.

    The candidate, it was gathered, led a group of students to the campus, allegedly carrying objects such as cutlasses to disrupt the exercise. Invitation of riot policemen saved the day.

    Some complained that the development disenfranchised a lot of students from taking part in the exercise as people on queue ran for safety.

    The counting of votes went into the midnight but Sanyaolu Raji, an engineering student, was pronounced winner as the president-elect after the electoral committee released the results. Students rejected the results, saying the management purposely installed Sanyaolu to pacify engineering students, who threatened to block to foment chaos in the school should their candidate lose.

    A school security officer, who did not give his name, said management had already gauged the situation and knew there would be disagreement, which was why the policemen were invited to prevent possible disturbance that may arise from the election.

    A student of Office Technology Management, Morenike Ajayi, said: “Engineering students did not allow many of us to vote. We saw a group of furious students marching towards the polling centre and everybody ran for dear lives.”

    Three students, CAMPUSLIFE gathered, were injured in the stampede resulting from invasion of the polling centre by the cutlass-bearing students.

     

  • Rumour causes stir at OFFA POLY

    There was pandemonium  last Friday at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa (OFFA POLY) when reports got to the campus that policemen had killed two students.

    It was, however, confirmed that the students, who are in ND 1 Accounting, were injured and are in a hospital in Offa Government Reserved Area (GRA). The students’ names and numbers could not be ascertained at the press time.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the victims were on their way to the polytechnic’s permanent site in Ojoku in the wee hours when a commercial bus called “Korope” being chased by policemen hit the motorcyle they were riding. The students, according to witnesses, were flung into the bush.

    When report got to students on campus, activities were disrupted as they took to the streets in protest. The Students’ Union Government (SUG) officials made efforts to douse the tension but the students were adamant, demanding justice for their injured colleagues.

    Efforts by the Dean Students’ Affairs, Mr. L.A Adeyemi, to calm the angry students were futile. The Dean, in a statement, said: “This is to inform the entire student that the two students that sustained injuries during the accident that happened on their way to permanent site on Friday are alive and they are responding very well to treatment.

    “I also want to use this medium to clarify that no life was lost during or after the accident. Students are hereby enjoined to shun rumour and face their studies squarely and avoid any acts that can prolong the semester unnecessarily.”

    A police officer, who did not give his name, urged students to find out correct information about event before reacting.

    “This matter is as a result of misunderstanding between the police and students. The policemen did not kill anyone, they were just doing lawful job,” he said.

     

  • Uwana Poly gets new Provost

    A NEW Rector has been appointed for Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana, Afikpo, Ebonyi State. He is Ogbonnia Ibe-Enwo. He succeeds Prof. Francis Otunta whose tenure expired last June.

    The Chairman of the institution’s Governing Board, Mr Chimdi Ejiogu, presented Ibe-Enwo as the fifth substantive rector to staff and students.

    The new rector pledged to enhance the wellbeing of the institution. In demonstrating his commitment, he announced the reinstatement of 11 sacked staff of the institution.

    “I will, in collaboration with management, ensure that this institution ranks among the best in the country and the world by implementing policies that would promote academic excellence, increase infrastructural development, enhance welfare, inauguration of more departments, and increase the institution’s Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR),” he said.

    He called on the staff to be committed and disciplined. “People must come to work and close at the appropriate time because the era of people collecting salaries without justifying them is over,” he said.

    Ejiogu described Ibe-Enwo’s appointment as appropriate, noting that as a product of the polytechnic system, he is expected to reposition the institution.

    “The new rector has been in the institution’s system for the past 20 years and is expected to bring his wealth of experience to bear on its development,” he said, noting that Ibe-Enwo was appointed following the new guideline from the Federal Government on the appointment of a rector which stipulates that he must come from the polytechnic system.

    “I call on the Federal Government to ensure adequate funding of the polytechnics in the country to enable them meet their goals,” Ejiogu said.

    A worker, Mrs Beatrice Ojah, urged all to cooperate with the new rector to enable him discharge his duties effectively.

     

  • 60 poly, colleges for NIPOGA

    Sixty polytechnics and colleges of technology will be competing for honours at the 18th Nigeria Polytechnic Games (NIPOGA) to be hosted by the Federal Polytechnic, Bida in November.

    Chairman, Local Organising Committee (LOC), Mallam Ibrahim Usman Buhari, made this known to reporters in Bida, highlighting the level of preparedness of the institution for the games.

    Buhari said the games tagged: ‘NIPOGA Bida 2014’, would kick off from last Saturday would end on November 15.

    According to him, athletes will compete for laurels in various fields and track events, which will include: football, basket ball, volley ball, tennis, badminton, and table tennis.

    Others are: chess, scrabble, taekwando, and various athletic events.

    The LOC chair said a new ultra-modern sports hall was being constructed and was expected to be completed before the end of October while two modern Basket Ball Courts had been completed with flood lights installed.

    The stadium complex, volley ball courts and other pitches to be used were being given a face-lift while the construction of a cynder track for track events is at advanced stage, he added.

    He added that a fundraiser dinner had been planned for Abuja on Thursday, September 18 chaired by Gen Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd), with Alhaji Aliko Dangote as the chief launcher.

    The dinner, which will have in attendance distinguished personalities from across Nigeria, was expected to raise funds for the successful hosting of the games.

    Buhari assured that the LOC hoped to raise the bar in the forthcoming NIPOGA, adding that the host institution intends to use the contest to showcase the popular standard Bida Polytechnics operates.

  • Poly marks union week

    Students of the Rivers State Polytechnic (RIVPOLY) in Bori have organised the Students’ Union Government (SUG) Week, which ended last Sunday with a thanksgiving at the Chapel of Jesus Christ on the campus.

    The week-long programme was declared open by the Director of Students’ Affairs (DSA), Mr Emmanuel Oma. Activities on the first day of the week featured a welcoming event for freshers in National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes, orientation and familiarity exercise with the SUG leaders.

    Students came out in funny attires on the second day to mark the “Old School Day”. The next day, they held “Rag Day”, which had them moving around the Bori community to raise money for the less privileged. The “Gala Nite” and “Departmental Day” were also held.

    The last activity was the Cultural Day, which held last Saturday, where students wore various attractive traditional attires to promote their culture. Although, Duncan Mighty, the artiste, who was billed to entertain the students, did not come; his absence did not stop the fun as students thrilled themselves during the night party.

    Some of the students, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, described the event as memorable, noting that it was properly organised. They hailed the union leaders and the management for the success of the Week.

  • NAPS condemns attack on Kano Poly

    The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has expressed worries over the increasing rate of Boko Haram attacks in the country.

    The students’ group condemned the sect’s attack on Kano State Polytechnic on July 30.  It urged security operatives to adapt other means of fighting the group.

    In a statement in Abuja, the NAPS President, Comrade Ogbonnaya commiserated with the families of the deceased students, the school and the Kano State government.

    He said: “Only recently, we were greeted with the sad news of the death of scores of students of the Kano State Polytechnic who met their untimely death in the hands of persons now believed to be from the Boko Haram sect.

    “The leadership of NAPS strongly condemn the activities this blood tasty, reckless and wicked group called the Boko Haram.  We therefore call on the security outfit in the country to fasten their belt in the fight against insurgency.

    “To this end, we express our heartfelt condolence to the family of the deceased, the management of the institution and the government of Kano State on this great and irreplaceable loss of great Nigerians who represent the future of this country.”

    The student also praised President Goodluck Jonathan for raising funds for victims of Boko Haram.

    “We also wish to use this medium to commend the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for his commendable initiative in coming up with a fund raising program to ameliorate the sufferings of the victims of Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria. It is our belief that the resources realised will be used in the best interest of a peaceful and better Nigeria.