Rector of the newly established Polytechnic of Oil and Gas in Bonny, Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, Professor Elijah Iyagba, has disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan approved the sum of N1 billion as take-off grant for the new institution.

The polytechnic administrator, according to a statement issued from the Rivers State government, on Tuesday, made the disclosure when he led other principal officers of the institution on a courtesy visit to the state governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, on Monday.

  Iyagba assured the state governor of the commitment of principal officers of the institution to achieving its aims.

  He also recalled that the idea of the Bonny Polytechnic was first mooted by former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and recently approved by President Jonathan, with a take-off grant of about N1 billion.

  “Your Excellency, as you may be aware, it’s been a long road. This started 14 years ago. It was to be a National Technical Institute by the Rivers State government and six years later, the Federal Government, under President Obasanjo, asked Petroleum Training Development Fund (PTDF) to take over the construction of the institution at the time as a way of providing opportunities for Niger Delta youths.

“Later on, the present Federal Government upgraded the status to a polytechnic and finally just a few months ago, we were appointed as the pioneer principal officers to kick-start the institution,” he said.

  The polytechnic administrator said the siting of the polytechnic in the oil-rich Bonny Island, would afford Niger Deltans more opportunity of gathering maximum knowledge in oil and gas activities.

Speaking on the essence of the visit to the governor, he said, although the Bonny Polytechnic was a federal institution, it was expedient for him and the other principal officers to familiarise with Amaechi as the governor of Rivers State.

  Responding, Governor Amaechi thanked them for the visit and expressed the hope that the objective behind the establishment of the polytechnic would be realised.

You may want to read up more news about the Federal Polytechnic Bonny. We recommend you read why 2014 admission into the federal Polytechnic Bonny may be delayed.

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