The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on Anambra state government to reopen the state Polytechnic, Mgbakwu which was shutdown last week following protest by the students.
Anambra State Polytechnic (ANSPOLY), which was upgraded from College of Agriculture to a Polytechnic in 2017 was shutdown after the students protested against alleged non accreditation of most of courses run by the institution, lack of accessible roads and others.
The National Director of Sports NANS, Comrade Anthony Ojiaku, who addressed a press conference on the closure of the polytechnic, observed that not opening the school could expose the students to dangers and vices like armed robbery and prostitution.
Ojiaku, who said there was nothing wrong in staging a peaceful protest, said “The local body of NANS guided by security men staged a peaceful protest calling on Government to step up action on accreditation of some courses as well as construction of road leading to Polytechnic should not be a purnshment.”
He also urged Governor Willie Obiano to sanction the state commissioner for Tertiary education for allegedly treating the students poorly during the protest.
He noted that the students of the Polytechnic were experiencing frustration because of non accreditation of courses they were studying.
On his part, Mr Innocent Ikegbunam, who is the President of Students Union Government (SUG) of Anambra State Polytechnic Mgbakwu, lamented that all courses in engineering Faculty and a number of other departments were yet to be accredited, saying it was the reason they marched to Government House on September 17, but hours after the protest, the school was shutdown.
