…retaliates institution ranking as Second best in the country
The Rector of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, Dr. Moses Umobong has proudly displayed the various products from the institution’s Entrepreneurial Center, commending the Akwa Ibom State Government for its unflinching support. In a show of commitment to academic excellence, the Rector has also vowed to ensure that the institution remains at the forefront of entrepreneurial innovation.
The Rector stated this on Monday, May 27, 2024, while conducting journalists led by the Akwa Ibom State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Comrade Amos Etuk, on an on-the-spot assessment of the Polytechnic’s Entrepreneurial Center and major projects within the Polytechnic community.
The media tour took the team to the Polytechnic’s Library where tables manufactured by staff and students were showcased, the Wood Workshop and Craft Center (Entrepreneurial Center), the Science Complex under construction which when completed will host the Chemical and Biological Sciences, the Engineering Block under construction and the Mechatronics Workshop which houses the automobile workshop for car maintenance and repairs.
Other places visited included; the Fitting and Mechanic Workshop where welding and fabrication is done, the Assembling Workshop which houses the assembled double-seater desks produced and manufactured by the Polytechnic, and the Chemical Workshop for soap manufacturing where liquid and bar soaps are produced.
Speaking during the tour, the Rector, Dr Moses Umobong, noted with delight that Akwapoly, apart from emerging Nigeria’s second best Polytechnic, has continued to produce students who have excelled in national and international competitions and won laurels for both the school and the state.
He expressed appreciation to the Akwa Ibom State Government for its support to the Polytechnic which has made it possible for it to remain and maintain its reputation as one of Nigeria’s most preferred destination for academic training, entrepreneurial development, and skill acquisition.
He thanked the media for the partnership and collaboration, submitting that the Wood Workshop and Craft Center is in fulfilment of the Arise Agenda of the Governor, His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno as the priority of the administration is entrepreneurial development which is what the Akwapoly Entrepreneurial Center is all about.
The Rector also commended other partners especially the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), stating that from 2016 to 2023, 102 Academic Staff have accessed TETFUND scholarships to study for MSc and PhD at home and abroad, while from 2012 till date, 487 Academic Staff have accessed sponsorship to attend conferences both in Nigeria and outside the country.
Similarly, he noted that from 2017 to 2024, 196 Non- Academic Staff have accessed TETFUND conference sponsorship both in Nigeria and outside the country, from 2015 to 2024, 35 Academic Staff have access TETFUND Institution Based Research Grant, while over 20 Academic Staff have benefited from TETFUND Manuscript Sponsorship that have culminated in books authored by staff of the Polytechnic.
According to the Rector, between 2014 and 2018, Akwapoly was ranked 99 out of 110 Polytechnics in Nigeria but moved from 99th to the 18th position from 2019 to 2021 when he took over and in 2023, the Polytechnic overtook other renowned Polytechnics like Yabatech, Ibadan and Kaduna Polytechnic to emerge Nigeria’s 2nd best Polytechnic.
“This was only made possible due to dedication of staff and support of the Akwa Ibom State Government”, he noted.
Also inspected, were the Polytechnic’s Block Moulding Machine which produces all the blocks used in construction of classroom blocks, offices and laboratories while students were encouraged to take advantage of the facilities to learn a skill that can sustain them upon graduation and help them become entrepreneurs and employers of labour.
According to the Rector, Akwapoly is determined to play its role as a critical partner of the Governor’s Arise Agenda especially on entrepreneurial development, Small and Medium Enterprise, Skill Acquisition, enhanced technical capacity for self-empowerment and capacity building.
He said the goals are in consonance with the mandate, vision and mission of the Polytechnic’s core mandate of producing highly competitive middle-level manpower that can nurture ideas for sustainable development and promote creativity and scientific innovations which will aid regional, national, economic, industrial, and technological development.
