By Oladisun Amosun
Rectors of Federal Polytechnics and other Higher Technical Educations have been charged to be pro active by introducing courses and programmes that will help utilize all potentials in their catchment areas.
Chairman House of Representatives Committee on the Institutions, Hon. Fuad Kayode Laguda gave the charge at an oversight session with Rectors and some management staff of Federal Polytechnic, Kauran-Namoda, Zamfara State; Federal Polytechnic Bauchi; Federal Polytechnic Kaltungo, Gombe State and Federal Polytechnic Bali, Taraba State.
Following submission by the Rector, Federal Polytechnic Kauran-Namoda Zamfara State, Jonathan Murdi, the Committee Chairman said, as an institution in the state, it should introduce courses in Geology, Mining and other related courses in order to educate youths in understanding the importance of harnessing the solid mineral resource for the benefit of the state and help in rescuing them from becoming bandits or their agents.
He said, “Like we discussed earlier, we were talking about why you don’t have courses in mining in your place. Because if you have courses in mining, some of these gold and things that they find in the soil there, they’ll be coming to do the test in your school, which is also a source of IGR for you.
The Chairman noted that bringing on such courses would address the decline in student population as a result of insecurity in Zamfara State.
Rep. Laguda said, “We’ll be glad to hear that our students are not reducing, they’ve started increasing, and this can be achieved m by the standard that you keep, or that you give to the students.”
After his presentation, the Rector was directed to present, among other documents, Evidence of Insurance payment, and increase in personnel cost in 2024 despite a shortfall of 50 personnel.
In his presentation, the Rector, Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, Dr Sani Usman informed the Committee that, the institution, established in 1976 has 2,112 academic and non-academic staff, Six Schools and running 36 academic programmes with a student population of. 11,000.
After presenting the budget performance of the school from 2021, the Rector and his management were directed to supply fresh and more detailed documents to assist the committee its investigation within seven working days.
In his presentation, the Rector, Federal Polytechnic Kaltungo, Gombe State, Dr Sulaiman Lame informed that, the institution was established in 2019 and recruitment for key staff was done in 2020.
He further informed that the institution has 500 academic and non academic staff in 2021 with 65% academic Staff and 35% non-academic staff.
Dr Lame informed that the institution has Four schools, which include Schools of Engineering, Science, School of Management Studies and School of General Studies, running Eleven programs with 300 students.
The Rector informed that, they have built two Hostels Males and Female with 200 and 350 capacities respectively.
He further informed the Committee that, they have plans for more academic courses to maximize the use of their staff.
In the same vein, the Rectors of Federal Polytechnic Bali, Taraba State, Dr Mohammed Usman; and his team also made presentations before the Committee.
Earlier in his opening address, Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Fuad Kayode Laguda explained that, holding the oversight interaction at the National Assembly was necessitated by the issue of insecurity and its timeline, highlighting the insecurity porosity on roads in the North-East region.
