Federal Polytechnic, Oko: Nigerian Government Commissions N550 Million TETFund-sponsored Buildings
Chinwe Onuigbo, Awka.
Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commissioned two hostels at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, in Anambra State, South-east Nigeria.
The male and female hostels, valued at five hundred and fifty million naira (N550,000,000), were sponsored by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) of its 2020 Special Intervention.
(The TETFund is an intervention agency set up to provide supplementary support to all levels of public tertiary institutions with the main objective of using funding alongside project management for the rehabilitation, restoration, and consolidation of tertiary education in Nigeria. The main source of income available to the Fund is the two per cent education tax paid from the assessable profit of companies registered in Nigeria).
President Tinubu was represented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Downstream sector, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.
“Although these projects fall within Anambra South Senatorial zone, I am representing Mr President today to commission three massive projects in this school.
“I attracted and fought for the approval and financing of these projects as a member of the Senate Committee on Education from beginning to completion.
“I wish to use this opportunity to assure you that the 10th Senate under the leadership of the Senate President, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio and, indeed, the entire National Assembly will continue to provide necessary support to the Fund through the enactment of legislations that would further advance tertiary education in Nigeria.
“Aside from support for physical infrastructure and provision of equipment at the institution, TETFund has also sponsored 101 lecturers for PhD from the Polytechnic in both foreign and local institutions totalling N487,527,656.10.
“TETFund has also sponsored 60 lecturers for master’s degrees in both foreign and local institutions, totalling N293,102,460.00, while 90 staff have been sponsored for conference attendance locally and abroad at a total cost of N111,471,159.50,” Senator Ifeanyi Ubah said.
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The lawmaker urged the polytechnic to take full advantage of the facilities and make good use of them for the educational and vocational development of the students.
“It is a fact that TetFund sponsored the two hostel projects, but we also have to specially congratulate the Rector, Engr. Mrs Nwafulugo for proper management of the fund allotted to the project without diverting the funds.
“Tetfund was here in May 2023 also to commission five buildings completed during her administration. In fact, a higher position will be given to her to continue her good works after here,” he further said.
Earlier in her address, Engr. Nwafulugo, the first female rector the institution has ever had, observed that for the first time in about 43 years of Federal Polytechnic, Oko’s existence, male students will now enjoy the feeling of being accommodated in a hostel within the school premises.
She called on well-meaning Nigerians to partner with the polytechnic by erecting students’ hostels within the school premises.
“These hostel buildings, made up of 26 rooms each with the capacity of accommodating 208 students altogether, are equipped with modern facilities which are tailored to give our students a decent and conducive accommodation space to achieve peak performance academically.
“In addition to these hostels, the School of Environmental Design and Technology Building, which is a capital-funded project, will be commissioned today. We have a security post at the entrance of this students’ village to provide maximum security.
“Other buildings completed under the current administration include the School of General Studies Building and Public Administration Building, which are TetFund-sponsored.
“In addition is School of Arts Design and Printing Technology Building.
“There is also a 1.2 km-road completed by the Federal Ministry of Works, among other projects,” she said.
Appreciation
The rector of the school appreciated TetFund for making it possible for increased number of students to have a safe and decent accommodation within the polytechnic, acknowledging the so many ways that Tetfund had added value to the polytechnic.
Engr. Nwafulugo also commended TetFund for the 2023 Special Intervention for Disaster Recovery, which handled a gully erosion threatening the school’s road.
“On May 18th this year, the former Minister of Education commissioned five massive TetFund buildings, which include an ICT Building, Agricultural Engineering Technology Building, School of Renewable Energy Building, a Multipurpose Hall, and a Chemical Engineering Laboratory.
“Two other buildings, which are capital-funded projects, commissioned were Food Technology Laboratory and the Dean’s Complex.
“With the support of the school management, staff and students, we are not losing steam towards fulfillng my inaugural speech and vision made 4 years and 9 months ago.
“There are multiple ongoing projects, which are at various stages of completion, and we hope to witness another commissioning before my administration winds up in the next two months,” she said.
Appeals
The rector, Engr. Nwafulugo, appealed to Mr President’s representative, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, to help in the construction of the road, which traverses the polytechnic, as it is in a deplorable state.
Also, the duo of the acting Registrar, Mr Obinni Onuchukwu, and the Director of TetFund Fedpoly, Oko, Dr. Chioma Awuzie, also pleaded with Senator Ifeanyi Ubah to help in the construction of a perimeter fence around the school and particularly the students’ village to ensure security of the students.
Speaking earlier, the Executive Secretary, TetFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, represented by Arc. Babatunde Olajide, disclosed that the projects executed between years 2021 and 2023 cost about five hundred and fifty million naira (N550,000,000).
“We commend the polytechnic’s management and the project team for ensuring quality delivery of the projects and for sticking substantially to the terms of delivery of the projects approved by the fund.
“The present school administration is good at completing projects. A testimony is that we were here in May 2023 to commission five (5) major completed projects and here again today.
“In line with the “Renewed Hope” agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, the Fund is committed to ensuring the sustenance of funding to all beneficiary institutions with a view to ensuring that our institutions attain high global ranking in the delivery of academic content within a conducive environment and to make our graduates be among their peers,” he said.
In his remarks, the traditional ruler, Igwe Augustine Ngoddy, Ezeogwuike of Atani kingdom, narrated the difficulties faced by the students of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Atani campus, during flood disasters caused by the River Niger overflowing its banks.
He urged TetFund to consider undertaking and completing infrastructural projects at the Atani campus.
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