IMO: THE RECTOR FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC NEKEDE DECORATED AS
OSHAssociation GRAND PATRON, PLEDGES TO ENFORCE QHSE IN CURRICULAR
IMO: THE RECTOR FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC NEKEDE DECORATED AS OSHAssociation GRAND PATRON, PLEDGES TO ENFORCE QHSE IN CURRICULAR
The Governing Council of the Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri, has expressed concerned over the employability of its students in terms of basic Occupational Safety and Health Knowledge and has directed all Departments within the institution to enforce Quality, Health, Safety and Environment (QHSE) training in their curricular.
The Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Owerri, Engr. Dr. Michael Arimanwa FNSE, FOSHA, JP, gave the directive during the 2022 Imo State Specialised Health, Safety and Environment Programme held recently at the 1000 Capacity Auditorium, Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri.
The event with the theme: “The Roles of Educational Institutions in Building Quality Safety Education in Nigeria” is hosted by the Occupational Safety and Health Association in conjunction with the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Owerri, Imo State and is specifically aimed at containing domestic and workplace fatalities and at the same time premiering the safety revamp project of the institution in conjunction with the Association to see that the students are equipped with the fundamentals of Safety best practices required in industries.
Welcoming delegates at the event, the Rector, Engr. Dr. Michael Arimanwa FNSE, JP, who is also a distinguished Fellow of OSHAssociation UK, expressed his excitement at the launch of the program. He attested to the delegates that the Federal Polytechnic Nekede was once again setting the pace as the first to start the HSE Training Programme in the entire Southeast. He reaffirmed the status of his institution as the best-performing Polytechnic in Nigeria, as well as a Centre of Excellence on ICT.
The Rector also expressed optimism that the HSE program would create a new wave of consciousness in the mind of the citizenry as far as health, safety, and the environment is concerned.
“We believe this program would help to awaken safety awareness among people, especially now that people even slump while working. It is also our hope that in no distant time, the membership of OSHA in Federal Polytechnic Nekede and the Southeast would expand significantly” He explained.
Declaring the event open, the President, OSHAssociation Nigeria Region, HRH, Dr. Amb Olusegun Aderemi declared that TVET remains the solution to provide jobs for the teaming unemployed youth in the country adding that Safety and Health Knowledge remains relevant as it will safeguard the lives of the workforce, especially the young ones who are 100% of the nation’s future.
Represented by the Rivers State Chairman, Dr. Chris Mitchell FOSHA, the OSHAssociation’s President reiterated that the inculcation of Health and Safety training in TVET will go a long way to not just revitalize the sector, but ensure that accidents, incidents, and fatalities are being stunted to the barest minimum.
“With the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) in conjunction with the OSHAssociation critically driving safety best practice across the board, polytechnics remain relevant in this journey that is set to bring out a revamp in the nation as far as Health and Safety is concerned” He declared.
Also speaking at the event, the Ag. Chairman of the Governing Council of the Polytechnic, Sqd. Ldr. Chima Idika Chima (RtD) thanked the Rector and his Management team for the feat of establishing a HSE Training Centre in the institution, pledging the support of the council members to the program.
In a keynote address, the Chairman of Imo State Chapter of OSHA UK – Nigeria and Coordinator Poly-OSHA Programme, Dr. Austin Madu, thanked the Rector for the unflinching support he granted the OSHA team which facilitated the inauguration of a HSE International Certification center at the Federal Polytechnic Chapter. He described safety and health as “constituents of welfare because health is wealth.”
According to Dr. Madu, “In her bid to complement the efforts of trade unions, therefore, OSHA has offered a lucid operational framework that provides the right impetus to workers all over the world at least to keep the zest of trade unions fighting the increasing rate of work-related diseases, accidents, and fatalities afloat.”
In a lecture at the event, The Regional Administrator of OSHAssociation Nigerian region, Engr. Emmanuel Uwalaka averred that safety is a matter of life and death revealing that many deaths recorded in Nigeria occurs as a result of negligence to safety tenets.
The speaker further described safety skills as “a soft skill” that can earn anyone a place in multinational organizations. He lauded the Rector for championing the establishment of the HSE Training Centre in Federal Polytechnic Nekede, adding that the institution is at the vantage of servicing the rest of the Southeast in HSE training and certification.
The high point of the event was the investiture of sixteen individuals as Fellows of the OSHA-UK – Nigeria (FOSHA) and the induction of over forty-one people as members (MOSHA). Some of the individuals that received the OSHA Fellowship investiture were the Deputy Rector (Academic), C.C. Onyemenonu, ASUP President, Mr. Anderson Ezeibe, Dr. Basilia Igbokwe, Comr. Oliver Uchenna Enete, Engr. Dr. Moses Owolabi, among others.
The high point of the event was the investiture of sixteen individuals as Fellows of the OSHA-UK – Nigeria (FOSHA) and the induction of over forty-one people as members (MOSHA). Some of the individuals that received the OSHA Fellowship investiture were the Deputy Rector (Academic), C.C. Onyemenonu, ASUP President, Mr. Anderson Ezeibe, Dr. Basilia Igbokwe, Comr. Oliver Uchenna Enete, Engr. Dr. Moses Owolabi, among others.
Similarly, the event was used to decorate some notable individuals as Patrons of OSHA-UK, among who was the Ag. Chairman of the 14th Governing Council, Sqd. Ldr. Chima, I. Chima, Chairman/CEO Fratelo Group of Companies, Evang. Berthran Uzodinma, HRH Eze Godwin Merenini, and HRH Eze Augustine Iwuoha.
Meanwhile, the Rector, Engr. Dr. M.C. Arimanwa FNSE, JP, was decorated with the star award of Grand Patron of the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA), United Kingdom, Nigeria Region.
The award-winning Polytechnic boss joins the league of eminent but few Nigerians to be so decorated in that cadre, among who is the Sultan of Sokoto, Alh. Saad Abubakar, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi and Amanyanabo of Twon-Brass, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, among others.
OSHAssociation has never relented in advocating for safety best practices in the nation, to this effect, Association has rolled out several campaign programs such as Conferences, workshops, and training programs among others across the nation through its chapters all in a bid to consciencetize the citizenry on the need and benefits of safety compliance in workplaces as well as across the board.
