From Umar Danladi Ado, Sokoto
The Central Committee for the establishment of the Federal Government Polytechnic in Sokoto State has identified site for the establishment of the institute in Yabo local government area of the state soon.
The Director Polytechnics and Allied matters, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology Education Dr. Ejeh Usman stated this when his committee inspected the proposed sites for the establishment of the Polytechnic in Yabo local government area on Thursday.
Also speaking, the chairman of the committee constituted by the State government to identify a suitable and convenient site, Prof Malami Tambuwal said they were taken to 3 sites by people of the local and they have identified which is most suitable
His words “We were taken to 3 sites by the people of the local government and we have been able to identify one taking into cognisant the proximity of the area
” We are comfortable with all the 3 sites shown to us.
“We took into consideration the land mass, topography and the accessibility of the roads before we arrived at the choice” the professor averred.
Professor Malami who is also the Vice Chancellor, of Shehu Shagari University of Education expressed optimistic that if actualised, the polytechnic will get a lot of students as it will be situated at the central point of the Sokoto South zone.
According to him, the school will be located at a strategic location along Sokoto to Argungu to Birnin Kebbi roads and links Yabo to Shagari to Tambuwal and Kebbe local government areas
“We have proposed to the committee that the school should be established along the Kilgore road and God willing if they accept the Institute would start 2 kilometres after the electric high-tension in Kilgore road.
He stated that they will inform the state Governor on the viability of the proposed site and the need to renovate Government Science Secondary School Yabo for the polytechnic to take off-site with immediate effect
Prof Malami described the move as a good development for the state as many children will be admitted, people will get employed and it will boost the economic activities of the area
The chairman said they selected Yabo for the establishment of the institute after holistically assessment of the whole state arrived at Yabo area.
He explained that his committee had before arriving to locate the poly at Yabo local government assessed how many tertiary institutions are located in each political district
He his committee realized that Sokoto north Senatorial District has 9 high institutions, Sokoto East has 2 while Sokoto South has only 1 high institution
Still, on the choice of Yabo town, the committee took security challenges into consideration and realized that Yabo is the most secured among the other local governments in the Senatorial District
“My committee has looked the issue of armed banditry into consideration Dange Shuni, Tureta, Kebbe, and Shagari are all having banditry threats, while the college of nursing and midwifery had already been taken to Tambuwal,” he said.
The chairman also Shagari local government has Military Secondary School explained that Yabo is the most suitable local government to host the the proposed federal Polytechnics.