Rector of the Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori in Rivers State, Dr. Onengiye-Ofori Georgewill has commended Governor Nyesom Wike over the approval of 18 programmes offered in the institution by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
Georgewill, who made the commendation during an exclusive interview with the Tide at his office in Bori, explained that the approval was the outcome of a recent visit by the NBTE to the Polytechnic.
The Rector said that without accreditation (approval) of programmes, academic institutions hardly earns value for its courses.
“Programmes offered by any academic institution must be accredited by the relevant body otherwise they are just there. 18 of our programmes were approved during the recent accreditation visitation conducted by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
He stated that without the needed infrastructure and the enabling environment provided by visitor to the Polytechnic and the State Governor, Barrister Nyesom Wike, especially in the acquisition of a world class New Technology Centre (NTC), the feat would not have been possible.
“There is nothing we have asked from the Governor that he has not approved. The road leading to the school was deplorable when we came in, he (Wike) has done it.
“Different companies and investors are coming here to partner with us. The technical hands that were with the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency, (RSSDA), before now, he (the governor) has moved them into the mainstream.
“Right now investors, companies and Non-Governmental Organizations, NGO’s are coming to collaborate with us to train people because of the facilities we have here and negotiations are on-going. So, all that will be part of our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR),” he said.
Georgewill further said, ” With this (accreditation) by the NBTE, the statutory supervisory body for technical and vocational institutions in Nigeria, all our students are qualified to go for the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), “Georgewill explained.
Explaining further in a statement, Ag. Registrar of the Polytechnic, Austin Edeh said, “For the first time in the history of the polytechnic, the accreditation of the pragrammes were approved for a period of five years with effect from the 2017/2018 session:
Edeh stated that the institution will not relent in the production of skilled technical and professional manpower for the development and sustenance of the state and national economy.
Some of the courses covering both National Diploma and Higher Natiional Diploma listed by Edeh include, Mass Communication, Marketing, Banking and Finance, Civil Engineering Technology, Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technology.
Others are,:Mechanical Engineering Technology, Urban and Regional Planning, Surveying and Geo-Infomatics, Architectural Technology amongst others.

Dennis Naku