In another blaze of victory, the Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Engr. Dr. Michael Arimanwa, has won an outstanding performance award in the utilization of research funds. The award was presented to him last Thursday at Transcorp Hilton Abuja, by a foremost government agency, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund).
The management of TETfund led by its Executive Secretary, Prof Suleiman Elias Bogoro, found the Federal Polytechnic Nekede, worthy in view of the consistent and massive inroads it has made in research and learning. It will be recalled that the Rector of the institution is goal-oriented when it comes to research. In fact, he has repeatedly made it clear to staff of the institution that they are duty bound to be productive researchers if they intend to teach well. It is also on record that periodic workshops are organised in the polytechnic to sensitize staff of the polytechnic on the imperatives of research and publishing. This move has yielded results as over 65 members of staff submitted research proposals that were accepted by TETfund, prompting the release of over two hundred million naira to them.
It bears recalling that at the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the Rector had quickly assembled a team of scientists and engineers in the polytechnic who researched and came up with practical ways of combating the pandemic through non-pharmaceutical methods. The team, accordingly, fabricated semi-automated and automated hand-washing machines as well as hand-sanitizers. Already, the school has acquired a patent for the automated hand-washing machines.
Spurred by the Rector’s policy thrust on research, it is interesting that a large number of staff of the polytechnic have been able to access research funds. And this is in line with the Rector’s five-point agenda among which is ensuring high academic standard among staff of the polytechnic; as well as realizing national and global visibility and ranking for the institution.
For this year alone, Engr. Dr. M.C. Arimanwa has garnered a lot of awards that have enriched the kitty of the Federal Polytechnic Nekede. Notably, these awards were given by reputable institutions and organisations whose mode of scrutiny is rigorous and scientific.
Meanwhile, Engr. Dr. Michael Arimanwa, has also won the award of Public Servant of the Year, thus affirming the axiom that a golden fish has no hiding place. The Public Servant of the Year Award was presented to the Rector last Saturday by the Nigerian Union of Journalists, at the grand finale of the annual press week held at the NUJ Press Centre, New Owerri.
Receiving the award on behalf of the Rector, Chief Chris Onyemenonu (Deputy Rector, Academic), expressed joy at the excellent recognition of the powerful achievements made by Engr. Dr. Michael Arimanwa at the Federal Polytechnic Nekede. He also observed that the award would be cherished because of the sincerity of purpose behind it, as well as the global reputation of men of the fourth estate of the realm who operate under the auspices of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Recall that in 2021 alone, Engr. Dr. M.C. Arimanwa has netted many awards and fellowships owing to his genuine commitment to educational development and outstanding performance as 8th substantive Rector of the Federal Polytechnic Nekede. And like a golden fish, there has been no hiding place for the gentleman cleric, as his powerful personality has kept a flurry of awards and goodwill surging towards him. Remarkably, the awards and garlands given to him come from reputable national and multi-national organisations.
