In a bid to reposition the Abia State Polytechnic in Aba, the Abia State House of Assembly during its plenary today made several recommendations to the Executive for implementation.
This followed the presentation of the report of it’s Education Committee Chaired by the Majority Leader of the House/Member representing Arochukwu State Constituency, Hon. Okoro Uchenna Kalu at the floor of the House.
The House had in April 16th, 2024 during its Plenary Session directed the Committee on Education to visit the Polytechnic and interface with the Management of Abia State Polytechnic on the relocation of the Polytechnic from Aba to Osisioma following a Matter of Urgent Public Importance on the incessant occurrence of accidents in front of Abia State Polytechnic at Aba-Owerri Road Aba by Hon. Iheanacho Nwogu who represents Osisioma Ngwa North State Constituency.
Hon. Okoro in his report said that Consequently, the Committee on 27th April, 2024 visited the Polytechnic for an on-the-spot assessment of the facilities. According to him, the Committee made the following observations and findings after their interactions with the management of the Polytechnic as follows:
Firstly, that the campus of Abia State Polytechnic situated at Aba-Owerri Road, Aba was the main campus of the Institution adding that the campus of the Polytechnic at Osisioma was a satellite campus.
“That the main campus of the Polytechnic at Aba-Owerri Road cannot be closed down and relocated to the satellite campus rather some Department/Faculties in the Institution could be relocated to the satellite campus in order to decongest the main campus”.
“That the main campus of the Polytechnic was already congested and many Departments/Faculties in the Institution needed to be relocated to the satellite campus at Osisioma”.
Again the committee reports that there were no speed breakers built around the school gates of the main campus at Aba-Owerri which ought to have slow down speeding vehicles passing through the Polytechnic thereby putting the lives of many students in the Institution in danger.
That the Polytechnic is required by Law to apply to the Federal Ministry of Works through the State Ministry of Works for approval in order to build the speed breakers in front of the Institution laying emphasis that students of the Polytechnic were not using the pedestrians bridge in front of the Institution because the platform of the bridge was weak and needed to be reinforced.
He further said the main campus of the Polytechnic at Aba-Owerri Road did not have hostel accommodation for the students which led to all the students leaving the school compound after lectures on daily basis revealing that the access road leading to the Osisioma campus of the Polytechnic was not motorable and needed to be reconstructed.
That many buildings of the Polytechnic at the Osisioma Campus were completed and ready to be used for lectures but could not be presently used as result of non availability of social amenities such as electricity, water and other facilities in the campus saying that morale of the Staff of the Polytechnic were boosted since the inception of the present administration in the State led by Governor Alex Otti that had prioritized their welfare especially prompt payments of salaries.
Other observations made was that the Rector’s lodge which was in total ruin as a result of neglect by the previous Management of the Polytechnic and over dependent on the State Government for funds and needed to diversify its revenue sources in order to perform better.
Furtherance, it says that the previous Management of the Polytechnic mismanaged the TETFUND accessed by the Institution also noting that the previous Management of the Polytechnic exhibited poor attitude of maintenance culture that led to the dilapidation of many infrastructures in the Institution.
Concluding, the committee found that the Edict establishing Abla State Polytechnic was outdated and had some provisions that created bottlenecks in Managing the affairs of the PolytechnicThe Commitee however, recommend that the House should as a matter of urgency mandate the State Ministry of Works to liaise with the Management of Abia State Polytechnic to build speed breakers in front of the main campus of the Polytechnic at Aba-Owerri Road to forestall further loss of lives while waiting for approval from the Federal Ministry of Works.
Again, that the House should urge the State Government to reinforce the platform of the pedestrians bridge in front of the main campus of the Abia State Polytechnic at Aba-Owerri Road so that the students will start using the bridge and avoid putting their lives in danger while trying to cross the highway.
The House also urged the State Government to build hostel accommodation at the main campus of Abia State Polytechnic to enable the Institution provide accommodation for many of its students as well as save the students from the exploitation of some landlords that have buildings around the institution among other recommendations aimed at reviving the Institution.
In a related development, the House also mandated its Committee on Environment to visit Rikez Sewage Disposal Company at Ugwunagbo for an on-the-spot assessment and to report back to it within 2 weeks.
The directive followed a Matter of Urgent Public Importance presented by Hon. Chijioke Uruakpa representing Ugwunagbo State Constituency which was tagged ‘Proliferation Of Illegal Sewage Disposal Sites, Poor Management Practice Put on View by Wasteprenuers’. The motion had indicted the Sewage Disposal Company and hence the move by the house.
Thereafter, the House adjourned it’s plenary to reconvene tomorrow Wednesday 8th May, 2024 by 10:00am.
