Federal Polytechnic Bida says hosting NIPOGA has enhanced institution’s sports facilities

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BIDA (NIGER) – The management of Federal Polytechnic Bida on Thursday said the institution’s hosting of the 2014 Nigerian Polytechnic Games (NIPOGA) had greatly helped in boosting the quality of its sports facilities.
The polytechnic’s Rector, Alhaji Abdullahi Sule, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bida that the Games has brought a lot of gains to the institution.
“In this regard, we praise the Embassy of the Republic of Korea for a donation of 100 items of taekwondo equipment to enhance our hosting of the 18th edition of the NIPOGA Games.
“The Korean Embassy, through the efforts of Sen. Uche Chukwumerije, donated 100 taekwondo mats and fighting kits,’’ he said.
Sule also said Federal Polytechnic Bida now has an indoor sports complex, athletics tracks, lawn tennis court and basketball court.
“Our stadium is now completed, because we had a TETFUND intervention of N50 million which was used for the indoor sporting complex,’’ he said.
The Rector said the availability of facilities would now boost sports activities among the students and help the institution in performing better at the next NIPOGA Games.
Sule further said the facilities the institution had acquired from hosting the 18th NIPOGA Games could help it to internally generate revenue afterwards.
“The indoor hall can be hired out to people. The stadium can generate revenue for the school as there is a standard football field there, and we can allow league matches to be played on our field,’’ he said.
The Rector said the Games had also presently made the institution a centre of attraction for over 4,000 Nigerian youths, including NIPOGA officials.
“Even though we spent 11 months on a strike action, but that didn’t deter us because we have full support of the institution’s staff and students,’’ he said.
Sule said the huge success the polytechnic recorded was largely because they adopted direct labour in handling the projects, as the institution’s staff has the know-how.
“We used our own staff to supervise the projects, and the VIP lounge was built through direct labour by our staff,’’ he said.
The Rector however called on TETFUND to continue to support tertiary sports competition as it brings about integration and unity.
He also appealed that there should be an upward review of the amount given to NIPOGA.(NAN)