The management of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, described as false and misleading media reports in some local tabloids, alleging that the school authority borrowed equipment to secure accreditation of its academic programmes.
It also denied similar reports that the authority was engaging in employment racketeering.
This was contained in a statement by the Deputy Registrar/Secretary to Council, Iniobong Ebong, made available to journalists in Uyo, the state capital, on Sunday.
The statement read in part, “Our attention has been drawn to the publications on page 4 of The Crest Newspaper of Monday, September 5, 2022, with the caption ‘Employment Racketeering Rocks Akwapoly’; its page 10 publication of Monday, September 12, 2022, captioned ‘Accreditation: NBTE May Sanction Akwapoly Over Borrowed Equipment’; and at page 8 of The Eyes Newspaper of September 13, 2022, captioned ‘Akwapoly Civil Engineering Department axed’.
“It is necessary to state clearly that the allegations in those publications are false, untrue and misleading.”
It added, “In 2022, the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic presented 18 programmes for accreditation/re-accreditation and the National Board for Technical Education in a letter with Ref. No. B/PRO/SP.21/VOL.II/429 of 5th August 2022, signed by Arc Ngbede Ogoh, Director, Polytechnic Programmes for the Executive Secretary, conveyed its approval granting accreditation to all the 18 programmes presented by the institution for the usual period of (5) five years with effect from the 2021/2022 academic session. The NBTE equally dispatched the same approval document directly to His Excellency, The Governor of Akwa Ibom State.
“At its 14th regular meeting held on the 5th September 2022, the Governing Council directed Management to arrange for the resource inspection/verification visitation within one month, and the Management has initiated immediate compliance.”
The school management challenged those behind the rumour to visit the institution to inspect the equipment.
The statement further stated, “In respect of the allegations that the institution borrowed equipment for the accreditation exercise, we encourage the purveyors of such falsity to visit the respective departments for inspection of the immovable equipment that had since been installed long before the accreditation exercise.
“We also challenge whoever that cares to confirm from the office of the Accountant General of Akwa Ibom State the correct amount approved by the State government for the entire accreditation exercise. The outcome will certainly shock the editors of these criminal libels”.
