…Honours Rt. Hon. Dum Dekor, Dr. Pidomson, Hon Tobin, Dr. Dimkpa, Others
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic chapter, has launched a N200million research centre and secretariat project with the research centre aimed at expanding knowledge within the polytechnic and elsewhere.
The event which took place at the school’s auditorium on Tuesday attracted dignitaries from all walks of life.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of ASUP in Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Prince Sudor Nwiyor, said the fund-raising for the research centre and secretariat project was first of its kind in the polytechnic.
He said benefits the research centre would bring to the academic community were numerous saying that it would expand knowledge frontiers for both “town and gown”.
He thanked the school’s Management and Governing Council for support given to the union and commended the school’s acting Rector, Dr Ledum Gwarah, for visionary leadership.
He said the process leading to the selection of awardees was transparent and not done by just one man but by a committee set up for the purpose.
However speaking with reporters he said: “The union deemed it necessary to establish a research centre where students, scholars and industries would come here and do their research to support the post Covid-19 education system”.
He further said: “We are expecting that the research centre will be linked to international libraries when the union would be doing the yearly subscription and people including staff and students can access any library in the world and download and print materials for their research”.
Those awarded for various categories ranging from Order of Peace Award, Corporate Leadership Award, Shining Star Award, Academic Excellence Award to Effective Representation and Outstanding Leadership and Philanthropic Awards include Rt Hon Dumnamene Dekor, member, House of Representatives representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency, Dr. Gabriel Pidomson, Dr. Chukwudi Dimkpa, Hon Akuro Tobin, Executive Chairman, Okrika Local Government, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, Executive Chairman, Emohua Local Government and HRM Mene Suanu Baridam and others.
Also speaking, the Chief Launcher, Dr. Gabriel Pidomson, said that the research centre was expedient for the polytechnic adding there was need to depend on research-based knowledge and not just experience.
He also said the research centre should attract funds to the polytechnic and launched the two projects with N10million leading to other donations by guests at the event.
On his part, the member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency in House of Representatives, Rt Hon Dumnamene Dekor, said that the research centre would contribute to knowledge and donated N5million to the projects.
Dr. Chukwudi Dimkpa who also donated N10million for the projects said that he believed the research centre would be a library for research materials and researchable results adding that the centre could be for home-grown solutions to problems like pollution in the region among others.
Dignitaries at the event include political chieftains, royal fathers, academics, students and the media including other members of the academic community.
