The Rector of the Federal Polytechnic Ado-Ekiti, Dr Temitope Alake, has said the institution is intensifying efforts to embark on mass food production to address the rising challenges of food scarcity and inflation.
Alake spoke with newsmen at the weekend in Ado-Ekiti to mark his first office anniversary as the institution’s seventh substantive rector.
The rector said the institution plans to do this in collaboration with the School of Agriculture to produce food across all areas for the immediate community and the state to mitigate the rising food inflation in society.
Alake noted that the polytechnic’s venture has been revamped towards generating revenue, adding that the bread and poultry production are returning to life to help boost the Institution’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
According to him, “This Institution will embark on Mass Food Production through the efforts of School of Agriculture.
“This will help in making food available for our people as the country currently go through economic downturn.
“By the time this one is achieved, food scarcity will be addressed especially in Ado-Ekiti, and the state.”
Alake said the Institution under his watch works towards the achievement of tripartite core mandates namely; training of professionals, ensuring acquisition of skills by students and training of minds.
The Institution’s helmsman reeled out the Infrastructural projects executed during his one-year in office to include, ” ongoing construction of New School of Environmental Building, ongoing construction of Mass Communication Complex, which will serve as the studio for the department, Construction and furnishing of 36 rooms Students’ Hostel Building, ongoing construction of a Block of 4 classrooms, sponsored by the IGR Project of the institution, among others.”
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In the area of electrification, Alake revealed that the Institution has migrated from 11-33KV resulting to 15-hour power supply per day with the erection of new electricity poles in the Institution.
On staff welfare, Alake said his administration prioritised the welfare of members of staff with no condition and also subsidised their transportation to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
He enjoined Nigerians to embrace vocational acquisition skills, noting that the Institution is committed to training students to have manipulative skills in order to be job creators.
“The digital economy is reducing the need for man power. That’s why we want to appeal to the parents to bring their wards to a technical school.
“This will enable them to acquire manipulative and vocational skills for them to be job creators in a vast changing world,” he said.
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