By Umar Egbunu Muhammed, Lafia
The Nasarawa State House of Assembly, has on Tuesday reiterated it commitment to ensure that perpetrators of students protest at Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic, Lafia are brought to book to avert future reoccurrence and serve as deterrent to others.
This, the house said that, it would conduct thorough investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the students protest.
Mr. Daniel Oga Ogazi, the Chairman, House Committee on Education, Science and Technology gave the assurance when the committee visited the management of the polytechnic in Lafia on a facts findings mission on the rationale behind the protest.
Ogazi, however, explained that the aim of the visit was to get first hand information from the management of the institution on the students protest that led to the destruction of properties worth millions of Naira.
His words: “First and foremost, we sympathize with you and the government over students protest that led to the destruction of properties worth millions of Naira.
“We thank God that no life was lost. We condemn the protest in its entirety.”
“We are here on an oversight function in order to rub minds with you so as to get first hand information on the students protest which will help us to carry out a thorough investigation,” he added.
He continued: “We will do our findings and make a report, an implementable report, we will ensure that those behind the act are brought to book to serve as detterent to others.”
Oga ogazi assured the management of the institution of the committee’s support to enable them succeed for the overall development of the education sector.
“The target is to bring you down, we will not allow it. We will draw the attention of His Excellency, Gov. Abdullahi Sule to support you in fixing the Information and Communication Technology destroyed among other facilities,” he promised.
He commended the Rector of the polytechnic for following due process while discharging her duties and called for its sustenance.
The chairman, advised alumni members of the school to partner with the management of the institution and government in order to bring speedy development to the institution.
Earlier, Dr. Justina Kotso, the Rector of the Polytechnic thanked the committee for being up and doing in improving on the standard of education in the state.
“I want to commend you for sympathizing with us over the unfortunate students protest.
“I want to disclose here that the allegation that the management has closed school fees portal and increased school fees were false.
“We did not increased students school fees and we did not close the portal,” she said.
She explained how the school ICT is helping in payment of students school fees thereby blocking leakages in the institution.
The Rector commended Governor Sule for supporting the activities of the school and called for its sustenance.
It would be reported that the committee alongside management of the institution inspected the new and old administrative blocks, library, School of Engineering Technology, electrical/ installation workshop, ICT centre and security outpost among others destroyed by the students.
It would be recalled that on March 11, 2021, students of the institution violently protested over alleged closure of school fees portal and increament in school fees by the school management leading to destruction of properties.
