Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
The seventh substantive Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Temitope Alake, has urged Nigerians to embrace vocational skills acquisition to be job creators to reduce the growing unemployment rate in the country.
Alake said this while briefing journalists in Ado Ekiti to highlight his achievements as part of activities marking his first anniversary in office.
He pointed out that the polytechnic is committed to training students to have manipulative skills to be job creators.
“The digital economy is reducing the need for manpower. That’s why we want to appeal to the parents to bring their wards to a technical school,” said Alake. “This will enable them to acquire manipulative and vocational skills so that they will be job creators.”
Specifically, Alake disclosed that the polytechnic under his watch works towards achieving triple core mandates, namely, training professionals, ensuring the acquisition of skills by students, and training minds.
The rector also stated that the institution is intensifying efforts to create a mass production scheme to end food scarcity and exacerbate hunger.
He said the institution plans to collaborate with the School of Agriculture to reduce food scarcity as the country battles the economic downturn.
Alake added that the polytechnic’s venture has been revamped towards generating revenue, adding that the bread and poultry production are coming back to life to help boost the institution’s internally generated revenue (IGR).
“This institution will embark on mass food production through the efforts of School of Agriculture. This will help in making food available for our people as the country currently go through economic downturn. By the time this one is achieved, food scarcity will be gone,” the rector said.
While reeling out the Infrastructural projects executed during his one-year in office, Alake listed the ongoing construction of the new School of Environmental Building, the ongoing construction of the Mass Communication complex, which will serve as the studio for the department, construction and furnishing of 36 rooms students’ hostel building, ongoing construction of a block of four classrooms, sponsored by the IGR project of the institution, among others.
In the area of electrification, Alake revealed that the institution has migrated from 11-33KV, resulting in a 15-hour power supply per day with the erection of new electricity poles.
On staff welfare, Alake said his administration prioritised the welfare of staff members with no condition and subsidised their transportation to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
