The rector of the state-owned Zamfara Polytechnic, Talata Mafara, Sirajo Shinkafi, has lamented the rate of brain drain affecting the institution.

Mr Shinkafi said this in Talata Mafara on Thursday when he received the state government’s visitation panel at the institution in Talata Mafara.

According to the rector, the brain drain has badly affected the institution, resulting in a shortage of qualified staff.

“We are lacking in infrastructure and human resources. Most of our staff have left because of poor remuneration, welfare, and dilapidated structures. As I speak to you now, we lack manpower in all the departments and units of this institution,” Mr Shinkafi disclosed.

He added, “In our security unit, we have only 11 permanent staff. We had to engage casual staff to secure the institution. This institution is the least paying polytechnic in Nigeria, and our staff work under very terrible conditions.”

Mr Shinkafi commended Governor Dauda Lawal for initiating a rescue mission to the school by declaring an emergency on education in the state.

The rector described the panel as the first of its kind to visit the institution since the creation of the state in 1996 and lauded the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Tetfund) for executing multi-million naira projects in the polytechnic.

“If not for the intervention of the Tetfund, the polytechnic would have collapsed,” stated Mr Shinkafi.

Earlier, the panel chair, Jafaru Abubakar-Sadiq, said the committee was set up to ascertain the condition of the institution to upgrade its structures and capacity.

“This committee was established by Governor Lawal and aimed to transform tertiary education in the state for the better. 

“We are here on a fact-finding mission; we are all committed to supporting the government’s efforts to improve the quality of tertiary education in the state,” stated Mr Abubakar-Sadiq.

(NAN)