Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri has gotten its 9th substantive Rector in the person of Dr.Basillia Igbokwe who has been successfully inaugurated as the 9th Rector of the institution.
In her inaugural speech, Igbokwe expressed deep appreciation for the overwhelming support she has received from the staff, students, the entire polytechnic community, the leadership of the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, and the Federal Ministry of Education,
The new Rector assured of her preparedness to reach out to her colleagues who contested with her for the office of the Rector of the institution, adding that she would strive for a harmonious working relationship with the Academic and Non-academic staff, labour leaders, student union government, and indeed, the entire polytechnic community.
Dr Igbokwe reiterated her resolve to vigorously pursue the vision of the founding fathers of the institution but added that such would only be possible with unity of purpose and the support of all stakeholders.
She listed some of the agenda for transforming the institution to include, prioritisation of staff welfare, commitment to fighting malpractices, extortion, lateness to duty, absenteeism, cultism, indecent dressing and other vices on campus.
Igbokwe vowed to restore environmental cleanliness in the institution; to run an open-door policy, to promote ICT and consolidate the Smart Campus Initiative.
Other issues top on the agenda of the new Rector include improving the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR and funding of the institution, to revive the institution’s tissue and table water production factories, as well as revive the polytechnic’s fishery and poultry.
She promised to link the institution to the national grid for improved power supply, to do more in the area of corporate social responsibility, CSR, and to ensure linkages or exchange programmes, among others.
Earlier, the Chairman of the 15th Governing Council of Federal Polytechnic Nekede,
Henry Ikoro expressed delight at the huge success recorded by the event, noting that it was God’s divine making.
Ikoro also expressed optimism that their team would move the polytechnic to new heights. He congratulated all those who ran elections with the new Rector describing them as eminently qualified, but reminded that only one person would lead at any point in time.
In her speech, Imo Deputy Governor, Chinyere Ekomaru who represented Governor Hope Uzodinma, urged the new Rector to be firm and pursue only those programmes that would reposition and transform the institution as a premier polytechnic in Nigeria.
The Imo number two citizen reminded Dr Igbokwe that the future of the institution rests on her shoulders for the next five years, stressing the need to bring innovations in vocational and technical education, to ensure a cordial relationship with the polytechnic community, and to eradicate examination malpractices and cultism as well as encourage research.
The leadership of various unions in the institution including the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, Non-Academic Staff Union, NASU, students union, and departmental heads, among others, pledged support to the new Rector while urging her to prioritise the welfare of staff and learning environment of the students.