The Rector of the Polytechnic, Professor Emmanuel Ufuophu-Biri, disclosed this during the 21st matriculation ceremony of the institution on Friday.
He noted that the polytechnic was committed to building a new generation of inventors, innovators and entrepreneurs that the state and country would be proud of.
In this direction, he said the polytechnic had already set up a very powerful team of experts to generate renewable energy for the institution.
According to him, the team of experts drawn from within the polytechnic had been mandated “to commence the process of generating a good proportion of our energy through renewable energy sources.
“We will be working on solar and wind energy alternative and results promise to be rewarding. We will also be exploring the hydro advantage of the River Ethiope, which is just some feet beside the polytechnic. Very soon, the institution will be able to generate a substantial proportion of its energy needs internally.
“We are working hard to make this polytechnic a renowned and reliable research centre and innovation hub. To encourage staff and students henceforth, we are setting apart a special fund to patent, promote, mass produce and market any research project of conventional acceptable standard either by students, staff or a combined team of students and staff.
“Henceforth, there will be cash prizes for the best students’ practical projects from each of the schools and the overall student’s project. This m
The rector, a professor of Mass Communication and veteran journalist, however cautioned Nigerian youths not to see education as a scam but a necessary key to sustainable success and development of any society.
He warned youths to be wary of friends and associates, who would lure them against pursuing education, saying such persons had mortgaged their futures.
“Education is the key to sustainable success. Don’t let anybody deceive you that education is a scam. Anybody telling you that education is a scam has mortgaged his or her future and that person is already consuming his or her future voraciously and foolishly right now. That person has failed the test of deferred gratification pattern. Don’t get close to such persons,” he said.
He specifically warned students of the institution against social vices including immorality, indecent dressing, cultism and examination malpractices.
“This institution is aimed at producing graduates who can compete favourably with their counterpart from any part of the world. Actually, our graduates have not failed us as they are spread across the world doing wonderfully successful.
“We receive commendations from different parts of the world about our graduates and we receive requests from institutions in different countries of the world to confirm the authenticity of our graduates results who are seeking admission into those institutions.”easure is to encourage creativity, functional and productive initiative, innovation and ingenuity,” he added.
