Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki
The Rector of Akanu Ibiam Polytechnic, Unwana-Afikpo in Ebonyi State, Dr. Ogbonnia Ibe-Enwo has disclosed that he has revived the economic and academic standards of the institution since he assumed office.
The rector, who stated this during his quarterly appraisal with journalists in the state, said another feat the institution achieved was the establishment of the Poly Unwana Table Water Factory, which he noted has gotten operational registration number from the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Ibe-Enwo, who became the fifth substantive rector of the polytechnic in August 2014, said the management of the institution under his leadership has completed a 1,500-capacity new lecture theatre; an alumni building of two large classrooms; a micro finance bank
building; and two blocks of poultry farms, which would serve the Department of Agricultural Technology for its practical work and also boost the institution’s revenue.
Other achievements he said included the construction of over 1,000 desks for students’ use; purchase of new staff bus; purchase of a new Kia Cerato for the Director of Medical Services and a new Nissan Pathfinder SUV for official use; installation of solar power generating system for the old administrative block.
Others are the installation of over 25 solar street lights; and payment of over N367 million for 18-month salary arrears for 11 recalled, 11-month salary arrears for staff, 55-month contentious salary arrears for staff, and pensioners between December 2014 and December 2017.
He said apart from serving the polytechnic community, the factory
would also serve as wet laboratory for the Food Technology Department and “we hope to start producing table water as soon as possible to serve our stakeholders.â€
Ibe-Enwo added: “Under my watch as rector, we now have a plastic factory which was constructed from a refurbished and rehabilitated plastic-injection moulding machine by the Department of Mechanical Engineering in conjunction with Hanns Nigeria Ltd.
“This machine has enabled the institution to recycle plastics and
produce plastic-based products such as hanger, plastic bucket, foot-rests for motorcycles and we have an order to supply 5,000 pieces of that product to Hanns Nigeria Ltd in Nnewi.
“And this factory also serves as a practical skills acquisition centre
for the Mechanical and Electrical Electronic Engineering Departments
of the school. This machine can also produce plastic components of vehicles and motorcycles such the brake lights among others. It is something that we are sure that could help shore up our IGR base.â€
