From Princely Onyenwe
Federal Polytechnic Nekede in conjunction with the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA-UK) has launched a specialized Health, Safety and Environmental programme aimed at containing domestic and work place fatalities.
This noble event was marked tuesday in a colourful event held at the main auditorium of the institution as told by FedPoNek Gazette.
Welcoming guests at the event, the Rector, Engr. Dr. Michael Arimanwa FNSE, JP, who is also a Fellow of OSHA-UK, expressed joy at the launch of the programme. He reminded guests 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 hope that the HSE programme would create a new wave of consciousness among people in the area of health, safety and environment. In his words, “We believe this programme 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.”
In a remark, 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 programme.
In a keynote address, 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 centre 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, a regional administrator of OSHA-UK, Engr. Emmanuel Uwalaka, averred that safety is a matter of life and death, revealing that many deaths recorded in Nigeria occur as a result of negligence to safety tenets.
The speaker further described safety skill as “a soft skill” which 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 on the vantage of servicing the rest of the Southeast in HSE training and certification.
High point of the event was the investiture of sixteen individuals as Fellows of the OSHA-UK – Nigeria (FOSHA) and 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 were 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 are 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.
Meanwhile, the registration for the HSE Certificate Programme at the Federal Polytechnic Nekede is ongoing.The certificate is said to be internationally recognized. Remarkably, it is open to all levels of people, including school leavers.
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