Sumbrungu (U/E), Dec 18, GNA- Ms Elizabeth Ohene, the Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education, on Thursday cut the sod at Sumbrungu near Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region for work to begin on the second phase of projects for the Bolgatanga Polytechnic estimated at more than 20.6 billion cedis.

The projects, which are being financed from the GETFund, include an administration block, automobile engineering workshop, the principal's bungalow, a library, catering department and an electrical workshop. Ten other projects including a 12,000-gallon overhead water tank, five staff bungalows and two 12-unit classroom blocks valued at 20.6 billion cedis are at various stages of completion.

Ms. Ohene underscored the role polytechnics are expected to play in producing the requisite middle level manpower for the development of indigenous industries.

She said countries like South Korea and the other so called Asian countries could not have achieved their present level of industrialization had it not been because of their serious commitment to polytechnic education.

Ms Ohene urged the chiefs and people of the region to give their full support to authorities of the school to motivate staff and students to put in their best.

She told management of the polytechnic to tap the unique traditional skills and handicrafts of the region and add a modern touch in a bid to establishing their own special niche in promoting industrial development in the area.

The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mahami Salifu, said the eventual take-off of the Bolgatanga Polytechnic would positively transform the region's rural agriculture as well as the textile and handicrafts industry.

He thanked the chiefs and people of Sumbrungu for releasing 2.7 hectares of land for the project.

The Acting Principal of the Polytechnic, Mr. Robert Ajene, thanked the former Upper East Regional Minister, Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, traditional authorities in the area, the GETFund and other stakeholders for their support during the initial difficult period of the school's establishment.