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JOE EFFIONG,UYO
The management of the Federal Polytechnic Ukana in Essien Udim LGA, Akwa Ibom State, has expressed appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for the rapid development of the young institution established just seven years ago.
Federal Poly Ukana established only in 2014, moved on a record time to its permanent site on 13th January this year.
The rector of the institution, Dr Uduak Ukekpe, during the inauguration of internal roads totaling 1.1km in the school by the minister for works, Mr Babatubde Fashola, on Tuesday, praised the federal government for the timely intervention programme in internal roads in the institution, and enthused that the move had added great value to the young institution.
“Let me convey to you the Polytechnic’s deep seated appreciation to Mr President for his robust investment in education. We are making concerted effort to develop this main campus of the Polytechnic which this road is a critical component.
“This Federal Government intervention is indeed a step in the right direction to address the road infrastructure deficit in a new institution like ours. We are not taking this for granted”. he said
The Rector however appealed for intervention in the access road to the Polytechnic which he said has remained untarred and in a very deplorable condition especially during rainy season.
“Accessing the Polytechnic during the rainy season has always been challenging for staff, students and other visitors. It is our hope that if the access road is tarred, it will enhance mobility and create an aesthetically pleasing ambience for the Polytechnic
“Let me also stress that we are not yet done with internal roads. 1.1km of the internal road network had been covered by you. We still have about 3.1km left to be covered and we would appreciate further assistance by your Ministry”. he appealed
Minister of Works, Mr Babatunde Fashola who inaugurated the project on said it was part of the federal government’s effort to bridge infrastructural gap in schools across Nigeria.
Represented by the federal controller of works, Akwa Ibom State, Mr Gabriel Kayode Akinwade, the works minister said recent interventions on infrastructure in the education sector were due to the undetectable fact that quality of education would be impacted by quality of infrastructure.
He disclosed that the federal government has successfully intervened in internal road network in 46 federal government’s tertiary academic institutions, handed over 29 as at 2021 while another 17 ready to be handed over, even as it is currently attending to 30 roads in similar institutions across the country.
The Chairman of the Governing Council of the Polytechnic who was represented by a member of the council, Alhaji Bashir Ado Kazaure said the council met lots of challenges due to the virgin nature of the institution, but however lauded the Rector whom he described as a workaholic for turning around the fortune of the Polytechnic.
Kazaure said; “We met lots of challenges when we came and were not encouraged by what we met till we brought a workaholic Rector. thank God for the wisdom during the interview, thank God we didn’t make a wrong choice.
“Let me also thank God, the host community and the Works Minister for adding value to the institution, even as we look forward to more projects in the institution. We appreciate the Rector for his commitment and courage. We hope the gesture will continue till the institution is fully developed”.
