Benue polytechnic approaches centenary with colonial buildings decaying

Akperan Orshi Polytechnic in Yandev, Benue State, is preparing to mark its hundredth anniversary while much of its infrastructure remains in poor repair, according to a visit by The Nation.

The institution occupies buildings inherited from the colonial-era College of Agriculture that preceded it. Stone blockwork still marks some of the structures, but roofs are perforated and suspended wooden planks have decayed, leaving parts of the estate unsafe for teaching or habitation. The campus covers a large expanse of land without adequate fencing, which the newspaper reported leaves it exposed on several sides.

Security is handled by a single permanent officer, the chief security officer, with the remaining duties carried out by casual staff described as poorly trained and ill-equipped. The highest paid casual worker earns N10,000 a month while others receive N5,000, and management owes arrears running to more than 20 months. The road from the Yandev roundabout to the campus is unpaved and difficult in both dry and rainy seasons. The rector, Nicodemus Terkaa Nombor, has appealed to the state government for rehabilitation ahead of the anniversary.