FEDERAL POLY UPGRADING ON STRIKE

Why The Federal Polytechnic Offa deserves upgrading to Federal University of Technology?*

Complied by: Omuiyadun H.D (MRM)

Just yesterday 28th of April, 2021 the senator representing Kwara South Senatorial district in the upper chamber of the 9th assembly in person of Distinguished Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru presented a bill for the upgrading of The Federal Polytechnic Offa to a degree awarding institution for first reading. Just like a saying of Benjamin Franklin: An investment in knowledge pays the best interest. The proactive step of Sen. Ashiru in this regard has once again enunciated his unparalleled passion for purposeful representation.

However, it is expedient to avail the general public some inevitable justifications that qualified the fastest growing Polytechnic in Nigeria and sub-sahara Africa to  be upgraded to a degree awarding institution among others.

1. The establishment of The Federal Polytechnic Offa in 1992 by then military head of state General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida in Offa community that host the first community grammar school in northern region was centred on training skillful, knowledgeable, industrious and technological man power needed for sustainable national development which the institution has undoubtedly live up to her expectation when considering the undeniable impact of her graduates/products towards national development.

2. The Federal Polytechnic Offa is one of the leading higher institution in terms of outstanding technical education, reaserch and innovation, academic excellence and good management functions.

3. The Federal Polytechnic Offa is equally one of the few Polytechnic in Nigeria with highest number of PHD holders with exemplary innovative reaserch 

4. Just of recent, The Board of trustees of Tertiary Education Trust Fund ( TETFund ) has  approved the conversion of Ph.D Thesis of  Dr. Sunday Asakpa of Computer Science Department of the institution into a textbook for use in Nigeria tertiary institutions. Dr. Sunday Asakpa is not only a notable lecturer of FEDPOFFA but a ALUMNI of the Polytechnic.

5. According to JAMB, The Federal Polytechnic Offa and Kaduna Polytechnic are the most sought after Polytechnic in Nigeria.

6. The Federal Polytechnic Offa also emerged as the best affiliate institution among the Parent Universities and Affiliate Institutions in Nigeria according to National University Commission (NUC). The Federal Polytechnic Offa in affiliation with Federal University of Technology Minna (FUTMINNA) was announced as the best in performance with a grade of 99.3% out of 104 of such arrangements with Parent universities. The fastest growing polytechnic emerged after the outcome of the last assessment report of the exercise conducted by the commission and announced by the acting Director of Inspection and Monitoring, Mrs. Agnes .I. Bamgbala

7. Some of the graduates of the institution in person of Aliyu Ibrahim of computer engineering department and Odeyemi Victoria Yemisi of Quantity Surveying department bagged Presidential award and automatic employment into federal civil service for outstanding performance during NYSC which ventilated the high impact of the Polytechnic academic and moral inculcation on her students.

8. The Polytechnic was also ranked as the best performing institution in Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) by Industrial Training Fund (ITF) kwara state chapter.

9. The Federal Polytechnic Offa was ranked  8th best Polytechnic in Nigeria by National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) out 112 polytechnic examined by the NBTE in the latest ranking.

10. Despite the high level of unemployment in the country, graduates of The Federal Polytechnic Offa are mostly engaged through white collar job or self employed initiative which justified the dynamicism, hyper sagacity cum ingenious characteristics of the products of the institution. 

Conclusively, the availability of modern physical infrastructures at the permanent site of the institution along Ojoku road coupled with sophisticated technical equipments cum dexterous staff strength both teaching and non teaching qualified the prestigious Federal Polytechnic Offa from a diploma to a degree awarding institution. 

The implementation of this proposed bill will not only advance technical development in the country but equally enhance economic activities of a loving and prestigious town of Offa, a community that is second to none in terms of unwavering hospitality to the visitors.

On behalf of the good products of the polytechnic and progressive youth of Offa community, I want to sincerely appreciate our Distinguished Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru for his foresights and purposeful representation as he has once again proved his worth as an architect of transformation.

Behold! History will not forget two calibre of people: a man who turn a city to a desert through his unproductive lifestyle and a man who turn a village to a prosperous city through his dynamic and patriotic community intervention.

" Our SEED is Germinating Bountifully"

Omuiyadun H.D (MRM) is the First Kwara State indigenous SUG President in the Polytechnic from prestigious city of Offa.

(c) olusheyi ✍️