A Nigerian resident in Canada has confronted Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, over what he described as the neglect of Awka North Local Government Area, particularly the condition of the Anambra State Polytechnic, Mgbakwu.
The exchange took place during a town hall meeting organised as part of the Nigerian government’s engagement in Canada aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and investment between Nigeria and Canada, as well as encouraging Nigerians in the diaspora to attract investors to the country.
The Nigerian delegation included ministers and state governors, among them Governor Soludo, and was led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
During the engagement, the Nigerian resident raised concerns over what he described as the lack of adequate attention to the development of Awka North. He particularly highlighted the condition of the Anambra State Polytechnic, Mgbakwu, questioning why the institution had not received sufficient support from the state government to provide the facilities and other requirements needed to secure accreditation and operate at full capacity.
In a video made available to 9News Nigeria, Governor Soludo responded by stating that his administration had undertaken several projects in Awka North Local Government Area. He also pointed out that an indigene of Mgbakwu had been made Chairman of Awka North Local Government Area.
However, the Nigerian resident continued to press the governor for a clearer response on the Polytechnic, asking why the institution had not been given the support required to develop and function effectively.
Responding specifically to the issue, Soludo said his administration had been evaluating the institution to determine how useful and viable it could be before the Anambra State Government commits further investment to it.
“…. And until that is done, and we are convinced that there will be value added of the Polytechnic in the context of the ecosystem of what we have today, the state government is probably not going to do what you want him to do,”
The development comes just weeks after Australia-based Nigerian publisher of 9News Nigeria, Obinna Ejianya, wrote an open letter to Governor Soludo, similarly drawing attention to the condition of Anambra State Polytechnic, Mgbakwu, and calling for its revitalisation.
Ejianya, who grew up and attended school in Mgbakwu, urged the governor to prioritise the institution’s infrastructure, address outstanding accreditation requirements and strengthen its academic and administrative capacity.
He argued that revitalising the Polytechnic would complement the Soludo administration’s emphasis on skills acquisition and technical education, while also preserving the substantial public investment already committed to the institution since it was upgraded from the former College of Agriculture to a Polytechnic in 2017 under former Governor Willie Obiano.
The renewed concerns raised during the Canada engagement have once again brought the condition and future of Anambra State Polytechnic, Mgbakwu, into public discussion, with questions over the level of state government intervention required to enable the institution to secure full accreditation and operate at its intended capacity.Corruption and Other Major Socioeconomic Quagmire of Nigeria
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