Abia State is firing from all fronts in its development strides, especially in Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu’s thematic areas. Recently, attention shifted to Abia State Polytechnic, Aba where the institution signed a Memorandum of Understanding with two organisations, the Association of Tailors and Fashion Designers (ATFAD) and Leather Products Manufacturers Association of Nigeria. The MoU is part of the institution’s numerous efforts to boost the business activities of the Aba community, and according to the Rector of the institution, Prof. Ezionye Eboh, “It is our way of giving back to the city of Aba as an institution that is socially responsible”.
The three-month programmes target the small and medium manufacturers in the city and would ensure that every businessman in the city is acquainted with the basic skills of doing business. Also, the courses outlined in the MoU are Basic Mathematics, Basic Management Principles, Basic English and Basic Book Keeping.
It will be worthy to note here that the MoU coincides with a similar MoU the institution signed with Green Field to provide Social Health Insurance Programme for students of the polytechnic at no extra cost after enrolment.
From all ramifications, the MoU is apt at this period Aba, the commercial-hub is on a steady march to fulfill the appellation “the Japan of Africa”. By Prof Eboh’s projection, God willing and other things being equal, the programme will train about 10,000 artisans in the next three years.
“If our plan works out, in the next three years, we will have trained about 10,000 artisans,” he said.
It is indisputable that Abia Polytechnic has great contribution in the current stride of Aba to sustain its status as the SME hub of the country. The institution is the biggest public institution in the city and has the mandate of providing manpower for the country’s drive towards technology.
The three months certificate programme is a transformation process for the artisans, upgrading them from local artisans to world- class entrepreneurs, who are empowered with certificates.
To buttress this, Prof Eboh noted, “We’ll also train them on how to separate self from business, especially in terms of their finances. Of course, we will teach them the basics in cleanliness, rudimentary English, and self-confidence. We hope that this effort is in synergy with a whole lot of other activities being undertaken by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s administration, and we have no doubt this will positively alter the business of Aba within the next couple of years.”
Besides, the institution is diversifying its efforts. Such efforts would ensure the operation of a Mass Communication Department in the institution in the months ahead. This is cheering news because, when the department comes on stream, according to the chairman of the state branch of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), John Emejor, “it will help the practising journalists in the state who are yearning to update their certificates in the profession”.
To block leakages in the revenue of the institution, every financial transaction in the institution is now made through bank to avoid misappropriation, while admission and checking of results and other processes are now done online. This is to discourage time wastage. Also, efforts are now on top gear to rejig the internally-generated revenue process of the institution for improvement and to reduce the dependency of the institution on the state government.
It is apt that the internally-generated revenue process of the institution is rejigged to ensure that the level of dependence of the institution on the state government is reduced.
The situation is captured by the state Commissioner for Information, John Okiyi Kalu, thus: “The major challenge remains that the school’s current monthly wage bill of about N170 million cannot be sustained by the internally generated revenue profile of the institution, hence, the workers and management need to work together to evolve a sustainable solution that will ensure that the institution truly becomes autonomous as envisaged by the law setting it up.
“Abia Poly receives and autonomously uses school fees, grants and other revenues to run its operations. We expect the management and workers to rejig their operations to ensure that what they make can, at least, conveniently pay workers while Government supports with subventions.”
It is important that now that the institution’s profile is rising on a steady note, activities that would constitute a clog in the wheel of progress should not be tolerated. This includes sabotage of any form. Thank God that the four-week industrial action embarked by the three unions in the institution that paralysed academic activities in the institution for the period has been resolved and academic activities resumed. Kudos to Abia State government for its intervention. The administration of Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu has demonstrated more commitment that it has the interest of the institution at heart. The state in many occasions has come to the rescue of the institution. These interventions have manifested in the forms of relieving the institution of debt burdens, among others.
On the salary issue, we are optimistic that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu as a listening governor would evolve ways to put the issue at bay.
“We appreciate the decision of the workers to put the students and the state first. As a government, we will ensure that the agreement reached between the union and the management of the institution is fully respected and implemented. The government is currently reviewing the plan presented by the management of the institution to ensure sustainable payment of wages and seamless operation of the Polytechnic,” John Okiyi Kalu strongly promised.
Okechukwu Keshi Ukegbu
Ukegbu writes from Aba, Abia State.
