The Ondo state-owned Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo (RUGIPO), has won the hosting right of the Nigeria Polytechnic Games Association, NIPOGA Games 2022.
The Rector of the institution, Mr Gani Ogundahunsi who disclosed this in an Exclusive Interview with SUNSHINETRUTH News Magazine, explained that the hosting would boost the image of the Ondo state polytechnic and improve sporting facilities on campus.
From all indications amidst dwindling resources and months of unpaid salary arrears confronting the polytechnic, how is the institution going to fund such sporting event.
The Rector said the hosting would assist and add values to the institution and would not take anything away from it.
Ogundahunsi noted that the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, (TETFund) usually assist hosting school to hold a successful competition through funding and provision of modern sporting infrastructure.
The Rector said, “We are going to encourage sporting activities and I want to break a very big news to you that, (Nigeria Polytechnic Games Association) NIPOGA games of 2022 will be hosted by my school.
“As I talk to you, I am Mr. NIPOGA now, that’s the acronym given to the host, so I’m the President, Council of NIPOGA for the next two years and we have started to prepare, we have LOC in place, headed by one of my Deputy Rectors and they are doing a good job.
“The next phase now is about putting some structures on ground. We have to touch on the existing sporting structures, we are going to outrightly build new one, I know NBTE will do something about that, TETFund will do something about that too, I was there in March (2021) to make my request known to them, there’s a statutory money they give (for hosting).
“The school will be a convergence, we are talking of about one hundred and twelve people from across Nigeria are coming (to RUGIPO). The Secretary General that is domicile at Federal Polytechnic, Ede (Osun State) was in my place to step up preparations for the games and we are going to Ogwuachukwu in Delta state for the Senior staff Sports which is a prelude to the Grand finale,” Ogundahunsi said.
