Zulum suspends Rector of 'dead' Ramat Poly during surprise visit

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno has suspended the Rector of Ramat Polytechnic, Dr Modu Kyari, and other management staff of the institution.

Zulum wielded the big stick when he paid a surprise visit to the institution on Tuesday in Maiduguri.

He expressed disappointment with the condition of things in the polytechnic, where he served as rector from 2011 to 2015.

"As far as I am concerned, this polytechnic is dead, nothing is working.

"The workshops are not in existence, the mechanical workshop is not working, the agricultural workshop is not working, likewise the entrepreneurship centre is not working.

"The school is facing myriads of problems, ranging from lack of funding and commitment.

"As a former student and rector of this polytechnic, I have moral stakes in it and will not allow this institution to rot during my era as Governor of Borno State," Zulum vowed.

He directed the Commissioner of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Babagana Mallumbe, to take over the affairs of the institution for the next six months.

The governor also directed the ministry to put all the workshops and laboratories in the polytechnic back to proper use, as soon as possible.

Zulum further ordered the Ministry of Water Resources to drill two deep boreholes and carry out reticulation of the water to address the dearth of potable water in the institution, to prevent spread of waterborne diseases.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor later addressed students of the polytechnic, where he assured that the payment of their scholarship grant would commence soon.