Don’t Truncate Your Future-Abia Poly Acting Rector Charges Students

The acting rector Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, Engr. Mrs. Chidinma Ndukwe, has charged female students of the institution to avoid using their hands to truncate their future.

The acting Rector, in an interview on the heels of a sensitization programme held in the school in conjunction with the State chapter of the Girls’ Brigade Nigeria to mark this year’s International Day for the Girl-Child lamented that some of the female folks were the architect of the reason their future was truncated.

Engr. Ndukwe, who called for more attention to be given to the girl-child, stated that the management of the polytechnic, under her watch would do all it could to ensure that the female students of the school do not suffer any form of abuse or inhumane treatment within the polytechnic community.

Ndukwe, who is also the first female acting rector of the state-owned polytechnic, assured that the management of the state-owned institution would do all it could to ensure that any female student of the school that suffers molestation, abuse or dehumanization in the hands of any person in the school; no matter how highly, would get justice.

She also cautioned the female folks to be mindful of their dressing as part of their contribution in ensuring that no one takes advantage of them.

“You have a lot to offer to the society. I know that this programme will be rewarding. You have not just come here to waste your time. You will learn one or two things that will help you in life as a girl-child.

“There are many things that you are expose to that could adversely affect you in life. But with the lectures that you will receive today, you will learn how you can handle all these things that come to you as young ladies to make sure that your destinies are not truncated.”

The acting rector, who expressed worry over the level of indecent dressing among girl, said that one of the campaigns that she has pursued vigorously since she came on board as the rector of the polytechnic was the campaign against indecent dressing within the polytechnic community.

“Since I came on board, we have emphasized on indecent dressing. In most of our programmes, we have tried to launder the idea that we must dress well, because the way you dress is the way that you are addressed.

“We noticed that in our society today, people no longer care about what they wear, and that could lead the child running into evil hands.

“We have made posters and have encouraged the young ones on the need to dress well. When you dress well, you attract favour to yourself, than when you dress carelessly. By dressing indecently or carelessly one not only endangers his or her life, but exposes one to manhandling by the opposite sex.

“One of the things that we have done to ensure that the girl-child under my care is protected is to ensure that no indecently dressed female student crosses the gate of the polytechnic.

“We have also encouraged the female students to report cases of abuse, molestation or manhandling by anyone. My doors are open and we have other female lecturers who will also help in ensuring that such cases were not swept under the carpet.

“We also try to speak to our male folks to see these children as their child. They were sent to come and study here by a parent like them. They were not sent here to be molested or to be treated anyhow.

“Their parents who sent them here believed that they have been left in good hands; that is why they have been allowed to come to school. So, no lecturer has the right to molest any student, whether male or female.

“We have disciplinary actions that are taken against such people that go against the rules of the polytechnic.”

Dr. Ann Ikechi, the acting Dean Students Affairs of the polytechnic in an interview said that the aim of the programme was to raise a generation of female folks that would command respect and to also help the students overcome some avoidable mistakes that a lot of young girls have been making in recent times.

“We want to train girls that command respect. When you command respect, nobody will look at you and want to victimize you. The moment the person sees you, the person knows that you are a carrier of blessings and you shouldn’t be toiled with. That is the kind of people that we want to raise.”

Dr. Ikechi who cautioned the students against keeping late night, also called on them to abstain from places that could jeopardize or cost them their future.

The Dean Students Affairs of the school, who recalled how a young female student failed to manage her illness properly; which now resulted to Cancer of the breast, said that the choice of bringing a consultant gynecologist was to help the female students to have a better understanding on how to manage their health.

“When you are a praying child; when you remember your foundation, when you have a focus and remembered that the Bible says in Him you live, move and have your being, you will not toil with your tomorrow.

“I want them to be focused and avoid being distracted; not only on campus, there are destruction. Mr outside the campus. They should be firm, focused and depend on God. If God didn’t fail me, why will God fail them?

Comrade Victoria Ofoegbu, the Vice President, Student Union Government, Abia State Polytechnic, Precious Onyeukwu, acting President Mass Communication Department and Ugochi Becky Okorie who said that they have been enriched with what they have been exposed to by some of the guest speakers, promised that they were going to ensure that they preach the campaign against indecent by the management to other colleagues and wherever that they find themselves.

They called for more attention and opportunities to be given to the female folks to hold some sensitive across the facets of the state and national economy.