Dr. Usman stated this during the budget defense of the institution before the House Committee on Education, Science and Technology.

The Rector noted that instead of increasing tuition fee, the management has decided to introduce new courses that are unique to Polytechnic education such as Mass Communication, Printing Technology, Aerospace Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering among others.

He said the move was to expand spaces to accommodate more students instead of using tuition fee to cause hardship on the people.

Dr. Usman explained that his administration will introduce more innovations and reforms with unflinching support of the State Governor, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

… DESCRIBE GOV. YAHAYA BELLO AS A PROMISE KEEPER IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has through the Kogi Community and Social Development Agency (KCSDA) reassured people Angwa Ogebe in Ankpa Local Government of his administration’s continued support in ensuring increased basic social amenities for community development.

This was disclosed through the General Manager, Alhaji Dauda Momoh while addressing Angwa Ogebe Community Development Management Committee (ACDMC) led by its Chairman Mallam Abdulwahab Danbala at the flagged off ceremony of a block of Classrooms and a borehole on Friday, June, 2022 at the Angwa Ogebe.

The Managing Director appreciate the exemplary and dedicated leadership style of Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello for his relentless effort in ensuring that Kogi State benefits from World Bank grants.

Alhaji Dauda specially thanked the facilitator, Dr. Salisu Ogbo Usman for being a true ambassador of the Governor and his community of origin in facilitating and paying the counterparts fund on behalf of the community.

In his remark, Dr. Usman Ogbo, Rector, Kogi state Polytechnic, Lokoja described Governor Yahaya Bello as selfless and people oriented leader whose interest is to see the development of every parts of the state particularly at the community level.

Dr. Usman urged the community to prudently and transparently utilize the fund for what it was released for to justify the confidence reposed in them.

While Presenting the Financing Agreement Form and Grant Check on behalf of the General Manager to the Chairman of the host community, Dr. Usman reiterated the need for provision of basic amenities for community development remains paramount to all concerned.

He assured the host community of Governor Bello’s unrestrained efforts to see to the completion of all projects initiated by his administration for the benefits of mankind.

The Kogi Poly Rector further disclosed that the achievement recorded thus far in Kogi state Polytechnic, Lokoja and the facilitation of the projects wouldn’t have been possible without the uncommon support, unending encouragement and enabling environment created by his principal, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello whom he described as a promise keeper and pillar of support at all times.

Earlier, Dr. Usman joined the team to another community for the flag off of similar projects at Abache where cheques for construction of a clinic and a borehole were also presented to the leader of the community.

In attendance at the events were the Ankpa Local Government Chairman who was represented by the Council Secretary, Hon. Idris Akus, Ward Councilors, traditional rulers, Imams, youths and mammoth crowd from the host communities alongside Management of Kogi Community and Social Development Agency.

• BinMalik
  Reporting from Ankpa LGA,
  Kogi state.

The 100 percent success achieved at the recent accreditation exercise conducted by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) in Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, has been attributed to His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, for his unflinching commitment to the development of education in the State.

Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr. Salisu Ogbo Usman, disclosed this on Tuesday 21st June, 2022, while presenting the results of the accreditation to the State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Honourable Wemi Jones.

The Rector stressed that His Excellency demonstrated exemplary commitment and relentless support which led to the huge success recorded.

Dr. Usman added that leadership and guide provided by the Honourable Commissioner of Education and the Governing Council led by Professor Yakubu Isa as well as quality working relationship enjoyed from the management, staff and students of the institution also contributed to the huge successes recorded.

The Rector who paid growing tributes to His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello for the opportunity granted him, also promised that more reforms will be introduced in the institution so as to place it among the comity of best Polytechnics in Nigeria.

The State Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology, Honourable Wemi Jones, commended Dr. Usman for his tremendous efforts in giving the institution a facelift in infrastructure and academic standards, and noted that the successful accreditation by the institution was the mother of all for the state owned tertiary institutions.

The Commissioner also thanked His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello for making the success possible.

Hon. Wemi Jones who described Dr. Usman as a blessing and a perfect fit to manage the affairs of the Polytechnic also promised that the Ministry would continue to provide necessary support to all parastatals and agencies of education in the State.

Meanwhile, the Governing Council of Kogi State Polytechnic has congratulated the Rector, Dr. Salisu Ogbo Usman on the full successes recorded at the Accreditation.

At its 66th meeting held on Friday 16th June, 2022, Council commended Dr. Usman and his management team for the successful exercise which it described as another laudable effort under his leadership.

Council also lauded the Polytechnic Management for the peace, security, tremendous infrastructure and academic development on campus, just as he called for renewed collective efforts to achieve more.

Chairman of the Governing Council, Professor Yakubu Isa, noted that the Rector’s prudence in the management of scarce resources, transparency, selfless and meritorious service to the Polytechnic has made the Council’s task easy, just as he directed that a special award and commendation letter be presented to Dr. Usman.

Professor Isa also commended Council Members for their commitment, dedication and contribution to the rapid development experienced at the institution which has further rubbed on the State.

Uredo Omale
Head, Public Relations and Protocol Unit.
Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja.

By Stephen Adeleye

The Kogi State Government has warned students and youths in the state against indulging in any act of criminality and arms proliferation, saying perpetrators will face the full wrath of the law.

The State’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Wemi Jones, FCIB, gave the warning at the ”National Conference Of The School Of Management Studies, Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, which began on Tuesday.

Jones noted that the Conference’s theme: ”Proliferation of Small Arms And Light Weapons (SALWs) And State Resilience In The 21st Century”, was apt and timely due to the current insecurity bedevilling the nation.

He commended the Rector, Dr Salisu Ogbo Usman, the management and organisers of the conference for the choice of the theme, saying it would address the prevailing circumstances and situation of the nation.

”I sincerely hope that this conference will add value to existence and will also go a long way in proffering solutions to the challenges currently bedeviling our nation”, he said.

He added that proliferation of small arms and light weapons have caused plenty of pains and wreck havoc which were being experienced currently across the length and breadth of the country.

”But we are lucky and favoured in Kogi State to have a Governor who has taken security as a call that must be obeyed, and he had ensured that in Kogi State, there is absolute zero tolerance for crime and criminality.

”The Administration of His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, is ready to do all it takes to ensure the security of lives and property in Kogi State, and zero tolerance to arms proliferation.

”Whoever is caught in the act of crime and criminality in Kogi State will go to jail”, he said.

He noted that a student of Kogi Poly that was caught recently with heavily loaded locally made gun, had already been sentenced to 8 years in jail, saying that was the way to go.

”Until and unless we make up our mind and execute sufficient political will to address this issue, insecurity will continue to linger in our nation.

”But I am happy that our State is very different now, which ordinarily was said to be the headquarters of crime in Nigeria before, but Governor Yahaya Bello has totally changed the narrative.

”So, this discussions here today should be a practical workshop that would proffer practical solutions to the challenges of insecurity facing our nation”, he said.

He commended the rector for making it easier for them at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, to sleep with their two eyes closed due to the kind of transformation that had taken place at Kogi Poly.

He further commended the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Pastor Emmanuel Idenyi, for being so supportive in running the affairs of the ministry.

According to the Commissioner, the permanent secretary has always been playing a very pivotal role in anything we do at the ministry, and I must say thank you very much.

Earlier, the Kogi Poly Rector, Dr Salisu Ogbo Usman, noted that the memory bank of academic institutions in Nigeria is full with ugly accounts of SALWs-related tragedies and affronts which have vividly contradicted the very underlining philosophy of education.

He added that in many higher institutions including Kogi Poly, the crises of supremacy and territorial control among different cult groups have often fuelled social insecurity and academic instability.

He stressed that dangerous cult crises have seriously impeded on academic and peaceful welbeing of both staff and students of many institutions.

Usman noted that the school management under his leadership had explored the 21st century technology as proactive measures against insecurity which was apt and functional.

”Our efforts in combating the school infiltration of these illicit arms and weapons on our campus can be modestly described as aggressive and resolute.

”Our goal is to ensure progress in the areas of security development, with special focus on creating a safe learning environment through elimination of access to small arms and light weapons on our campus”, he said.

The rector stressed the need to take steps that would make the answers provided by the conference tenable, practical and goal oriented.

He further urged the participants to contextualise the social importance of the current level of technology in addressing the current security challenges facing humanity.

A Traditional ruler, the Ohimegye Igu of Kotonkarfe, Alhaji Abulrasak Isah Koto, commended the governor for the choice of Dr Usman as the Kogi Poly Rector, and for being very supportive to the security agencies in the state for effective performance.

The royal father called for adoption of technology in combating crime and criminality, while stressing the need to also go back to the family basis in addressing the issue of insecurity in the country.

The Key note Speaker, Prof. Hassan Saliu, from Department of Political Sciences, University of Ilorin, delivered a paper, titled: ”Understanding The Impact of Small and Light Weapons on Nigeria’s Security Situation”.

The don urged government and leaders at various levels to ensure equity, justice and fairness to all Nigerians, saying, ”the feeling of alienation from governments, especially the Federal Government, is not a good tendency in our country”.

He also urged government to imbibe the culture of dialogue as a viable option to proffering solutions to several agitations and challenges.

Saliu also stressed the need to address youth unemployment which he said it had reached epidemic level.

According to him, the current efforts of the Federal Government in addressing youth unemployment are like a drop in the ocean.

On his part, the Lead Paper Presenter, Dr John Tor Tsuwa, from Department of Political Science, Benue State University, Makurdi, delivered a paper, titled: ”Arms Proliferation, National Security and Sustainable Development in Nigeria”.

Tor Tsuwa noted that the proliferation of arms was encouraged by unabated conflicts both intra and inter ethnics militancy and criminality, porous border, economic regression and lack of basic amenities occasioned by an irresponsive and unaccountable government.

He recommended that the government should adopt local content in its control initiatives by thinking globally and act locally.

He added that there was need to strengthen inter agencies cooperation among the security agencies on intelligence and information gathering and sharing, and improve control through technology on Nigeria borders.

End