Kaduna: NAPS endorses Mike Auta for senate

Austine Emmanuel, Kaduna

National Association of Polytechnic Students, (NAPS) has endorsed the senatorial candidate of Labour Party, Southern Kaduna, Zone 3, Engr. Mike Auta as their sole candidate in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.

The endorsement followed the scholarship given to 115 students of tertiary institutions cut across the 23 Local government areas of Kaduna State by the senatorial candidate, during the 1-day symposium of Technical and Vocational Education in Nigeria, held in Kaduna on Thursday.

In his remarks, the National President, NAPS, Comrade Sunday Asuku, said the students were overwhelmed with the kind gesture, adding that contemporary society is in dire need of individuals who are willing to give back to the society without expecting anything in return.

He said NAPS did not plan to endorse Engr. Auta because it is not a political program. However, relevant stakeholders present at the event deemed it fit to make their stance and give directive to polytechnic students across the country to support individuals with good track records regardless of their tribe, religion or ethnicity.

A former stakeholder of NAPS, Comrade Abdulsalam Mohammed Kazeem, who moved motion for the endorsement of Auta said, “I see no reason why this man cannot be endorsed. This is the kind of persons we need in our society.

“I sat down quietly observing how this scholarship was given and I found out that this man is not sentimental at all. The scholarship went across the 23 LGAs of Kaduna state with both Christians and Muslims benefiting equally. So I called for his endorsement and ratification because to whom much is given, much is also expected.

“It is a way to encourage him to continue the good work and we will continue to stand for such persons regardless of their political parties, religion and other interests because our country is so divided and because of that we will continue to support individuals who will not divide us further,” he said.

Speaking with journalists shortly after the event, Dr. Mike Auta said humanitarian service is part of his agenda to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty within a short period of time.

Represented by his Director of Communication and Strategies, Comrade Jotham Ayuba, Mike lamented over what he termed as infrastructural decay of the educational sector especially polytechnic institutions, stressing that adequate attentions are not given to education and as such, it will be very difficult to achieve substantial result.

He said, “this is not the first phase of our scholarship. We have students on scholarship in different institutions like the Baze University, Nile University and outside the country and we are still going to do more so as to be able to assist as many less privileged as we can.

“Now, education no doubt is the strongest weapon we can use to shape the societal strength of human characters, behaviour and building our societal values. Without such human capital investment in the area of education, it is only things of the past that will keep unfolding.

“As we all know, the Nigerian higher education system including polytechnics has seen chains of multi-faceted problems in recent times. Imagining the Polytechnic objectives as given in the Act establishing it, the invaluable roles and contributions of polytechnic education to the socio-political and economic development of Nigeria, nobody will dispute the fact that it should be a national issue by making it “Polytechnic Education for all’’.

“World over, Polytechnics educate future leaders and develop the middle-level technical capacities that underpin economic growth and development, but unfortunately today, the polytechnics are filled with crises of various dimensions and magnitude. A number of multi-faceted problems have inhibited goal attainment and are raising questions, doubts and fears, all of which combine to suggest that the system is at a crossroad.

“There is therefore, the urgent need to really look into the effective management of the nation’s education and dissect the challenges with a view to achieving effectiveness, quality and relevance in the entire system, so as to provide trained manpower in applied sciences, technology and commerce, particularly at sub-professional grade.

“Not too far from the truth that Nigerian polytechnics are fast decaying as all the resources for education process are in short supply. Lecture halls, laboratories, students’ hostels, library space, books and journals and office spaces are all seriously inadequate, this has left the equipment for research and learning either lacking, inadequate or in a bad shape to permit basic functions of academics. These institutions are losing value and that is why we have widespread migration of academic staff from either the universities or polytechnics in the country to overseas where their services are better rewarded.”

He called on government and other well meaning Nigerians to prioritize education so as to be able to equip future leaders with all they have got so as to be able to move the nation forward