Enugu Governor Promises Access Road for Federal Polytechnic, Ohodo

2 hours ago

The Enugu State Governor, Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, has promised to build a 7-kilometre access road leading to Federal Polytechnic, Ohodo. The road will link the school to the Otukpo–Obollo-Afor–9th Mile–Enugu Road.

The governor made this promise when he met with the Governing Council and management of the polytechnic in Enugu. He said his government is ready to support the school with needed infrastructure so it can grow into a centre of excellence for technology, engineering, and skills training.

The Governing Council, led by its Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Dangana Ocheja, visited the governor for the first time since the school was established. They used the visit to explain the progress made so far and the challenges the institution is facing. The visit was arranged by Hon. Chidi Mark Obetta, who represents Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency at the National Assembly.

In his response, Governor Mbah directed the State Commissioner for Education to work closely with the polytechnic to identify areas where the state government can help. He also promised to look into the long-standing issue of unpaid compensation to landowners who donated land for the permanent site of the school.

The governor added that the polytechnic will play an important role in the state’s Smart Green School Initiative, which focuses on science, technical, and vocational education for young people. According to him, the programme is expected to train over 260,000 technically skilled students every year. He also praised the school for its achievements within a short time and mentioned that the state has a strong scholarship scheme to support students.

Senator Ocheja, in his presentation, listed the achievements of the polytechnic in its five years of existence. These include the start of academic activities, accreditation of some courses by the National Board for Technical Education, and the admission of students into four schools. He also mentioned the construction of classroom blocks with support from TETFund. However, he appealed for help to address the problem of low student enrolment.

He explained that the polytechnic was created to close the skills gap, improve access to quality technical education, and help young people become self-reliant and contribute to national development.

The Council Chairman also praised the Enugu State Government for building modern science, technical, and vocational schools in all 260 wards of the state. He said these projects align with the mission of the polytechnic to equip youths with practical skills needed for jobs, entrepreneurship, and economic growth.

He further stated that 105 hectares of land have been secured for the permanent site of the polytechnic, but the landowners have not been compensated. He appealed to the governor to help resolve the issue to maintain peace with the host community.

Earlier, Senator Ocheja commended the Federal Government for promoting Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). He said the establishment of the polytechnic supports the human capital development agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, especially through programmes such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund), which aims to improve access to education.