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From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
Rector of Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo, in Ezeagu Local Government Area, Rev. Fr. Nnamdi Nwankwo, has said that the government has no plans to relocate the institution from Iwollo to another part of the state.
Rumour of impending relocation of the institution had generated tension in the host community and its environs, leading to the rector addressing leaders of the community, including traditional rulers, where he told them to discountenance the rumours.
The new rector solicited the cooperation and support of community leaders in the development of the institution, urging Iwollo people to own the school and work for its growth.
He said: “What the government did was to create campuses of this polytechnic, and the school is still in Iwollo. They created campuses, which, under normal circumstances, could have been beneficial if there were enough funds to develop them; if there is enough funding then the campuses are our agents. Whatever we generate in any of the campuses outside here, this is the place where we will take the decisions. And so, positively, it’s a good thing to have these campuses.”
Extolling his predecessors for the foundation they laid, the rector said he decided to resume at Iwollo unlike others to ensure that the institution grew and for the people to feel its impact.
Nwankwo said he has started to restore some of the revenue-yielding progammes/projects, starting with the poultry, “We have started selling eggs,” adding that, with the avowed support of the community, the movement would be geometrical.
He further urged Iwollo people to show more drive by assisting in some infrastructural development like building hostels for the school, which would attract students to the institution.
On the people’s request for employment, he lamented that, at the moment, the school had more staff than students.
“I entered this school and the number of students was 222 in the three campuses and we had 318 staff members, so, how can you employ more and, by the way, from where will you get the money to employ more? Government is kind to us, they give us subvention; they take care of the salary.”
