Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has faced renewed questions over the future of the Anambra State Polytechnic, Mgbakwu, following a tense exchange with a Nigerian resident in Canada.
The issue was raised during a town hall meeting in Canada organised as part of Nigeria’s efforts to deepen trade and investment relations with the country and encourage Nigerians in the diaspora to support investment opportunities back home.
A member of the Nigerian community challenged Soludo over the alleged neglect of Awka North Local Government Area, with particular attention drawn to the condition of the state-owned Polytechnic in Mgbakwu.
The resident questioned why the institution had not received the level of government support required to improve its infrastructure, meet accreditation requirements and operate at full capacity.
In response, Soludo maintained that his administration had embarked on projects in Awka North and noted that an indigene of Mgbakwu currently serves as Chairman of the local government area.
The governor, however, gave a more specific response when the discussion returned to the Polytechnic, saying the state government was assessing the institution before making further financial commitments.
According to Soludo, the government wants to determine the viability and usefulness of the institution within the current educational and economic ecosystem before deciding on the scale of additional investment required.
The governor’s position has, however, reignited debate among stakeholders from Mgbakwu and Awka North over whether the Polytechnic should first be revitalised in order to unlock its potential rather than remain underfunded while its viability is being assessed.
The latest exchange also comes shortly after Australia-based Nigerian publisher of 9News Nigeria, Obinna Ejianya, wrote an open letter to Soludo urging the state government to urgently intervene in the institution.
Ejianya, who grew up and attended school in Mgbakwu, called for improvements to the Polytechnic’s infrastructure, completion of outstanding accreditation requirements and the strengthening of its academic and administrative structures.
The Polytechnic was upgraded from the former College of Agriculture to a Polytechnic in 2017 under the administration of former Governor Willie Obiano, with significant public resources subsequently committed to the institution.
For critics of the current situation, the concern is not simply about infrastructure but about preserving the investment already made in the institution and ensuring that young people in Anambra have access to functional technical and vocational education.
The renewed controversy has therefore shifted the conversation from whether the Anambra State Polytechnic exists to a bigger question: what does the Soludo administration intend to do with the institution, and when will a clear decision on its future be made?
As calls for revitalisation continue, attention is now focused on the outcome of the state government’s assessment and whether it will ultimately lead to renewed investment in the Mgbakwu Polytechnic.
