Students Union Government of Kwara state Polytechnic directly executes some projects to ease the suffering of students

Unlike some of their counterparts in other tertiary institutions in Nigeria, it is commendable that the leadership of the Students Union Government (SUG) of the Kwara state Polytechnic. Ilorin, has over the years embraced responsible unionism culminating in the institution's stable academic calendar and execution of a number of laudable projects by the students of the institution.

This feat, it was gathered, was made possible by the symbiotic relationship between the management of the institution and the students, especially the open-door policy of the Rector, Alhaji Mas'ud Elelu, which has endeared him not only to the students but also the staff.

The projects which were directly executed by the students and inaugurated penultimate week include mini mart, relaxation centre, bus purchase, renovation of 10-room toilet, reconstruction of hostel blocks and borehole construction.

While inaugurating the projects, Alhaji Mas'ud Elelu, lauded the leadership of the students union government for deeming it fit to complement the efforts of the management and, in particular, for channeling substantial part of their earnings to a worthy and noble cause. The projects, he noted, would go a long way to increase the admission carrying capacity of the institution.

To Elelu, the greatest challenge of the institution is provision of adequate hostel accommodation for the students despite the institution's land mass, lamenting that available hostels on the campus are grossly inadequate, dilapidated and costly to maintain.

He said: "A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), will soon be signed between our institution and a private property developer towards ameliorating the problem. To this end, a piece of land has been provided by the authorities for the hostel project."

Besides, the Rector said more commercial bank outlets would also be encouraged in the institution to ease banking services for both the students and the staff, adding that ICT accessibility in partnership with a private internet organization is in the pipeline towards providing a more affordable access to ICT to the students as well as the staff.

Elelu used the occasion to let the public know that merit has always been a major consideration among others for admission of students to the institution, contrary to insinuation that their admission is always solely based on where candidates hail from, especially Kwara state.

Earlier, the SUG President, Abdulrahman Mohammed, had said that they embarked on the projects based on the needs of the students in order to ameliorate their suffering, generate funds for the union, as well as leave a worthy legacy for posterity to judge.