Gov Zulum Suspends Management After Surprise Visit Exposed Dead Polytechnic

The Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum has slammed a six-month suspension on the entire management of the state-owned Ramat Polytechnic in Maiduguri, after paying a surprise visit to the institution.

Naija News reports that Zulum had obtained National Diploma in Agricultural Engineering from the Polytechnic in 1988 before returning as Rector of the tertiary institution from 2011 to 2015.

When he paid an unannounced visit to the school, the Governor was shocked to see workshops and laboratories were no longer functioning as the “Polytechnic is dead”.

He visited the Polytechnic around 9am and found most of the laboratories out of use, with some covered by cobwebs and rodents roaming around due to neglect.

After carrying out an assessment of the place, the Governor directed the State’s Commissioner of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Babagana Mallumbe, to immediately take over the running of the school.

He said, “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, like-wise the entrepreneurship centre is not working.

“The School is facing myriads of problems, ranging from lack of funding and commitment. As former student of this polytechnic, 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. 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,” Zulum said.

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