Ilaro Poly Expresses Readiness To Support FG’s Diversification Agenda
By Olu Osikoya, Abeokuta
The Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro has expressed commitment to supporting the federal government agenda to diversify the country’s economy from mere petroleum into agriculture in order to discourage unemployment on the scene.
To this end, the Polytechnic Rector, Arch. Olusegun Aluko on Monday explained that the 40-year-old institution had created an agricultural village with the view to adding meaning to the agricultural sector.
Aluko who spoke to Journalists during a Press conference organised at the school premises to herald the institution’s 40th Founders’ day anniversary boasted that the agricultural village would not only add value to the concerned sector but would also lift the burden of unemployment on the teeming youths.
The Architect in his speech noted that the polytechnic was ready to work assiduously to ensure that the age-long narrative of economic meltdown becomes a history.
“We are also working to make sure that we impart our environment that is why we have created an agricultural village and we are trying to see how we can add value to our agricultural sector.”
When quizzed on the polytechnic achievement since his emergence as the rector, he revealed the institution’s lion achievements, which he said included “invention of working equipment’, exhibited recently through the Manufacturer Association of Nigeria (MAN).
” Through the Manufacturer Association of Nigeria, MAN we recently exhibited some of the equipment that we invented. We have supplied many companies some of our equipment and some other companies are still ordering for them. We are waiting for the Minister of Science and Technology to give us the approval to lunch it officially.”
Also to improve the economy as well as create more job opportunity, the institution, Aluko stressed has introduced new courses such as Cement Technology and Driving.
He said Alhaji Aliko Dangote has approved equipment worth N 220 millionaire for the polytechnic to run the Cement and Technology course.
He said “We are the only polytechnic in Nigeria to offer courses in cement technology. We have collaboration with MAN, a cement group headed by Dangote he sponsored the curriculum for the cement technology, the curriculum had been affected and to the glory of God Dangote has approved equipment worth N 220 millionaire for the polytechnic so we are waiting for the equipment before we start the courses on cement technology”.
We know the problem of unemployment in Nigeria that is why we are making sure we add value to all of our products so as to perform effectively when they get to the labour market. “
“We are the only school in Nigeria that have a driving school because we notice that there are some job that will require that you have driving experience for example if you are a journalist and your editor wants you to cover an assessment and he gives you a vehicle to convey you there, he will not give you a driver that will drive you so you must know how to drive”.
