Minister of Education, Mr. Adamu Adamu,

The newly inaugurated governing council of Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri, on Friday said that the technological development of Nigerian depended much on the products of polytechnics and technical institutions.

The members made the observation at their maiden council meeting held in the Polytechnic campus.

The council members expressed satisfaction with the level of infrastructure development in the institution and commended the Federal Government for its interest in enhancing the growth of polytechnic education in the country.

Chief Edwin Ogunbor, the Chairman of the 13th Governing Council of the institution, later led members on a tour of projects and facilities in the institution.

He said the polytechnic portrayed clear evidence of judicious use of funds, considering the quality of projects in the institution.

Ogunbor said that the polytechnic had been greatly transformed with the state of the art facilities and equipment.

The council chairman commended the rector and management of the institution for being focused and professional in the discharge of their responsibilities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the council members were conducted round the campus by the rector, Dr (Mrs) Celestina Njoku.

The council members also addressed the General Assembly of the Polytechnic, comprising staff and students.

Ogunbor assured that the council would encourage the management to give more priority to staff welfare.

He advised the staff and students to show absolute loyalty in the discharge of their duties.

“You must serve with dedication, honesty and fear of God.

“The polytechnic will not have patience for any act of corruption and negligence of duties,” he said.

Njoku expressed joy with the calibre of people appointed into the governing council of the institution, adding that the institution would benefit immensely from their wealth of experience.

She assured that the academic standard of the polytechnic had remained very high, while appropriate measures had been put in place to protect students as well as check activities of miscreants in the campus.

The rector said that students, who engaged in cultism, indecent dressing and other inimical acts, were being sanctioned appropriately.

She assured the council members of the cooperation of the host community.

The council members had earlier paid courtesy visits to the traditional rulers of of the three autonomous communities in Nekede namely Umuoma, Umudibia, and Nekede Ancient Kingdoms.

At Umuoma, Nekede, the traditional ruler, Eze Morrison Eke, said that the immediate communities enjoyed great benefits and cordial relationship with the institution.

Eke commended President Muhammadu Buhari for reconstituting the governing council of the polytechnic and pledged that the institution would continue to get protection by the host communities.

NAN recalled that the reconstituted governing councils of the various polytechnics in the country including that of Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri, were inaugurated on Thursday, May 11.

(NAN)