The Acting Rector of Kogi State Polytechnic, Dr Usman Igbo, has officially handed over the ‘Osara campus’ of the institution, for the takeoff and commencement of academic activities in the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara, Adavi LGA of Kogi State.
The Rector, who handed over the necessary documents to the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Wemi Jones, FCIB, on Monday being 16th November, 2020 in Osara, expressed joy for being part of the historic event.
The Osara campus of Kogi State Polytechnic was until the time of handing over, the School of Preliminary Studies of the institution.
”Today, under my acting Rectorship, we gathered here to officially handover Osara campus to the Commissioner, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology for the smooth take off of CUSTECH; it is historic in all ramifications, and I am glad to be part of it”, Ogbo said.
He expressed his gratitude to Governor Yahaya Bello for the opportunity given to him to serve the state in that capacity, while commending the commissioner for his support all along.
”It is another opportunity that our names will be written in the sand of victory in educational development of Kogi State”, the rector said.
In his remarks, the Commissioner thanked the Almighty God for the divine enablement to be saddled with such responsibility in making history in the state’s education sector.
Jones thanked the governor for reposing so much confidence in him, his capacity and ability to deliver on the mandate of revamping education in the state.
”His Excellency is so much passionate about revamping education sector in the state, and he wants to take education to the levels we can never imagine.
”Infact, the governor has said that from now till the end of his tenure, 20 per cent of the annual state budget will be allocated to education.
”The implication is that, if the state’s annual budget is N100 billion, it means that N20 billion of that money will go to education in the year under review”, he said.
According to him, the governor is a man of his words who always back up his words with actions, and he is doing everything possible to reposition education and taking it to another level.
He stressed that the state government had recorded significant milestones within a very short time of the establishment of CUSTECH.
He commended the Rector for his proactiveness and expressed satisfactions with the handed over document, saying it was very detailed.
”We are all stakeholders and citizens of Kogi State, so we must do everything possible to ensure that we contribute our own quota to the development of education in our state.
In his vote of thanks, the Deputy Rector of Kogi Polytechnic, Dr Lamidi Kehinde, commended the governor and the commissioner for the feat, while thanking all committee members for their support in ensuring that a comprehensive document was handed over.
The commissioner also took his time to inspect the ongoing projects and some facilities at the Osara campus, while he further moved to Kogi Polytechnic School of Engineering, Itakpe, to inspect some TETFUND executed projects at the campus.
The Commissioner was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Pastor Emmanuel Idenyi; Director Science and Technology, Mr Dipo Aiyenibe; and Director Tertiary and Continued Education, Mrs Clara Bolu, among others.