The Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe, in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, has offered five scholarships to the first five students in each of the five newly-accredited departments.
The new courses are Petroleum Engineering, Welding and Fabrication, Oceanography, Cooperative Economics and Maritime Technology.
The Rector, Lukman Agbabiaka, disclosed the scholarship offer at the weekend while taking journalists on a tour of facilities at the main campus at Ekowe.
“Ekowe Polytechnic is the only institution with accredited new courses in Petroleum Engineering, Welding and Fabrication, Oceanography, Cooperative Economics and Maritime Technology taken from the backdrop of our environment as a riverine community.
“We offer free scholarships to the first five students from each of the listed departments. We are equipped to offer professional certificate programmes on skills acquisition capable of competing favourably globally in the labour market,” he said.
The rector described the setting of the institution as a serene environment for learning with a 24-hour power supply, quality teachers and well-equipped science facilities.
He said the school also had standard hostels and e-library equipped with free Wi-Fi, a Computer-Based Test centre and newly acquired water buses for easy transportation of both staff and students.
Agbabiaka said the polytechnic boasted a NHIS/BHIS-accredited clinic, which would also serve the healthcare needs of the entire community.
He lamented the effects of erosion and perennial flooding due to the marshy terrain on the institution, saying a major concern for the management is the land reclamation to embark on new building projects.
