For allowing vital facilities at Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri, to run down, Bornu State Governor, Babangana Zulum, has suspended its management.
Zulum is an alumnus of the institution, bagging a National Diploma from the institution in 1988.
He was shocked at what he saw when he paid a surprise visit there on Tuesday.
As’The Punch’ reports, he found most of the laboratories out of use, with some covered with cobwebs, and rodents roaming around due to neglect.
Zulum had gone to the school to assess all infrastructure and learning conditions, which he was dissatisfied with; making him to, thereafter, direct the Commissioner of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Babagana Mallumbe, to take over the affairs of the school with immediate effect.
“As far as I am concerned, this polytechnic is dead. Nothing is working. The workshops are not in existence, the mechanical workshop is not working, the agricultural workshop is not working, likewise the entrepreneurship centre.
“The school is facing myriads of problems, ranging from lack of funding to lack of commitment. As a former student of this polytechnic and a former rector, I have moral stakes in this polytechnic.
“Insha’Allah, I will not allow this polytechnic to rot during my era as Governor of Borno State. I will do everything possible within my reach to ensure functionality of this institution, insha Allah.
“I have directed the Commissioner of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation to take over the affairs for the next six months. The ministry is to ensure that all the workshops and the laboratories are put back to use as soon as possible. The entrepreneurship centre should immediately be put back to use as well.
Continuing, the governor recalled: “When I was at the polytechnic as rector, the entrepreneurship centre was producing nothing less than 10,000 to 20,000 school desks and chairs every month. We produced hospital beddings.”
