By Ignatius Chukwu
The governor of Rivers State, Sir Sim Fubara, marched into the Elechi Polytechnic to swear in the new board and drill them on what he critical challenges of the institution which he wasted no time in listing as employment matters, staff welfare, and staff indiscipline, only to run into appeared to be gargantuan challenges.
Speaking on behalf of other members, the chairman of the council, Dr. Robinson N. Ewoh, named acute shortage of accommodation such that the board members the governor was asking to move mountains had no place to meet and sit.
He reminded the governor that the school was running for decades as a school for basic studies (a pre-tertiary centre of learning) before 2016 when the state government declared it a polytechnic, a tertiary institution whose products proceed on national youth service. The chairman said the infrastructure that carried it as a post-secondary school has not changed. To achieve what the government had in mind in technical education, facilities needed to improve.
He stated: “The classrooms are still like those of School of Basic Studies: No library, laboratory, zero hostel. And because of zero hostel, the in-take is gradually coming down.
“The houses around there are very expensive. Parents can no longer afford to pay house rents to enable their kids go to that school.
“Finally, Your Excellency, even the council you have put together now, we don’t have an office, no council building.
“The last administration started something but stopped half-way. So, the Rector will still have to look for a temporary office for us. But I want to assure you that the team you have put together, well experienced team, will be able to deliver on the mandate you have given us.”
In his remarks, the governor urged the board to provide proper administration, saying this would steer the institution aright and restore it to the path of academic excellence.
The governor recalled when Rivers State was among top states in the federation with competitive academic performance, and said it was time to return the State to that path of excellence.
“We were noted for something many years ago. When you came to Rivers State, you would see interesting competition in education. Today, the competition is no longer in education, it is in the number of violent incidents.
“We need to change the strategy. We need to let people understand that the only way that we will develop our State is with quality education.
“In China, the secret behind their success is their brain put in their hands. When they think, they make it happen. They don’t sit in their homes to think, they go to quality schools, no matter how it is. They are built to become useful to themselves and the society.”
Governor Fubara charged members of the new council to do something different from the normal things that they see happening in the institution.
“Make sure you give the polytechnic a direction. I have had a few complaints, and I strongly believe that by setting up this council today, all the issues in that school will be resolved.”
He said: “We have issues of employment, we have issues of staff welfare, we have issues of indiscipline by members of the staff.
“I know quite alright that with the calibre of the council members, you have what it takes to put that institution on the right path.”
Members of the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic Governing Council other than the chairman present to be sworn in include Dr. Emmanuel O. Omah, Nwonuala Chinaka Charles, Evans Amadi, Dr. Nancy Nwankwo, Chief Dakorinama Evans Ibama, and Chief Bajor Osaro, as members.
