By Emeka Samuel, Uyo
Rector of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua Dr Moses Umobong has said that academic and infrastructural improvements in the school has seen it’s ranking jump from the 99th to the 2nd best Polytechnic in the country in recent times
He has also described as baseless, rumours of his attempt to influence the appointment of a successor from his ethnic group.
Umobong told newsmen in Ikot Osurua that the leap in the ranking was made possible by conscious efforts by hia administration to lift and improve the fortunes of the school given improved investment of the state government in the school.
*I became the Acting Rector of the Polytechnic in January 1999.At that time, the Polytechnic was in the national ranking on the 99th position, 99th position out of a total number of Polytechnics of 110, signifying that there was something professionally wrong. But with the cooperation of all the staff and all of us, we were able to put all our efforts together, work hard together.
“After two years, ranking came again. The third year of my tenure, we achieved the 18th position. And in 2023, we were ranked by an international organization, as the second best Polytechnic in Nigeria, By the grace of God, the government has been very supportive, very, very.
“And the ranking ihas to do with the number of valuable factors, part of which would be the number of programs you run and the accreditations you have. I don’t want to take you too far, but I want to tell you that as we speak today, all the programs in the Polytechnic have accreditation. Right now we are not running any illegal program.” The Rector explained.
On allegations of ethnic bias on the School, Umobong said he lacked powers to influence such appointment stressing that only the governor of the State has the sole and constitutional powers to appoint a new Rectors for the Polytechnic.
A statement gaining traction online endorsed by a ‘Concerned Annang Citizen’ had claimed that the Rector in collaboration with leaders of the three unions in the Polytechnic: Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, (ASUP), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) and the Ibibio Union, is sponsoring a preferred successor from his ethnic group, Ibibio, thereby marginalizing the Annangs.
The Concerned Anang Citizen’ said such move if allowed would not only cause disharmony among the ethnic groups in the institution but would lead to institutional crisis by ultimately burying the only state-owned institution of higher learning located in ‘Annang land.’
But Umobong wondered how someone whom he described as “faceless” could come up with such allegations knowingthat , appointment of Principal Officers in the School are made by the State Governor.
The Rector regretted that someone could be playing politics of ethnic sentiment in institution of higher learning instead of championing excellence and academic growth.
“My job is just to write officially to the governor, telling him when I’ll be exiting(which I have already done) and obtain permission to advertise. When that approval is granted; advertisement would be placed and council will conduct interviews. The NBTE is the regulator, they have set up some guidelines for the appointment of a Rector, which must be strictly followed. So how do I come in here?
“During my time, we were eight that applied or contested. We sat for the interview, fortunately for me, I was appointed the Rector. So, are you saying that somebody, should be a sole candidate? Well, if no other person is interested, fine, but if there are other interest groups, they have the right to apply. All these allies are supposed to go to the governor and say, Governor, I warn you, you must appoint this person from this particular ethnic group. To show your supremacy, to show your powers.’
However, Umobong said he would not be distracted by such speculations adding that he would even endeavour to do more for the School before his tenure would come to an end in November.
‘I came to meet some of the courses that have no accreditation, but I secure accreditation for all of them. And then secondly, what is very important to note is, the Department of Mechanical Engineering that only existed on paper work. We have the Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology, Mechatronics Engineering, Welding and Fabrication, no accreditation, we have secured accreditation for all.” He said.
Umobong recalled that when he took over he tried to sanitize the system by ensuring that staff members go for higher academic qualifications and those in professional courses register with their professional bodies
“By the time I took over, we had some who were there for over 25 years or plus with first degree. They were not bothered to go for any other higher qualification. They were so satisfied with first degree. There was this indiscriminate, unmerited promotion, so we wrote to His Excellency, the Governor and Proprietor asking him to give us permission to invite the National Board for Technical Education, the Regulator to do academic staff audit and non-academic staff audit. Let’s see where we got it wrong, why we’re not growing?
” The Governor granted the approval and we invited the NBTE and we discovered so many anomalies. Doing that, you necessarily must step on toes.
“The good thing is today, we have over 60 holders of PhD. Masters degree holders are numerous, everybody is going back to school, that is it! it looks like an institution now . You can’t have a first degree and become a professor or you become a Chief Lecturer with a first degree?
“Some persons never published anything, how do you want to grow, in academics, you either publish or you do what?you perish. As long as I’m here, you show your publications,I have mine. I will show you mine, my CV is here. You see my publications over the years, till this year.” He concluded.
