By: James Febebebo
management, staff and students of the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rumuola, as well as guests gathered on Tuesday, April 18, for the institution’s eight edition of its annual thanksgiving service.
Speaking at the service, Rector of the polytechnic, Dr. Samuel Kalagbor, said that God is the source of everything and of every blessing the school has enjoyed.
Dr. Kalagbor listed achievements recorded by the polytechnic within the last one year.
He noted that 12 academic programmes presented for accreditation in December last year had been granted accreditation by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
” It was and still remains an unprecedented feat not only in this polytechnic but in many other institutions that you present all programmes for accreditation and you achieve 100 per cent. We give and return all the glory to God”, he said.
Appointed Acting Provost in 2015, Dr. Kalagbor said that there were only six accredited programmes in the polytechnic when he assumed office then, but said between 2015 and 2022 a total of 21 programmes were granted accreditation by NBTE in addition to institutional accreditation.
He said: “In all today, from six programmes we have 27 programmes that had been granted accreditation by the NBTE”.
He appreciated Governor Nyesom Wike for the continuous support given to the institution, saying that God had used him to reposition the polytechnic.
Dr. Kalagbor said:” I’ll like to use this opportunity to sincerely appreciate the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, for his continuous support for this institution. God has used him mightily to reposition this institution”.
He said that he has provided in addition to the school’s existing 150KVA generating plant a 300 KVA generating plant and also resuscitated another 300 KVA generating plant for use by management and staff and students of the polytechnic and sponsored staff of the polytechnic to conferences within and outside the country.
Dr. Kalagbor said the polytechnic has the highest number of PhD holders among polytechnics in the country apart from Yaba and Kaduna Polytechnics.
On other achievements the rector said:”God gave me the opportunity as a rector of this institution to be elected as the Chairman of Council of Heads of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in Nigeria. This is a position that in the South-South including South-East we have only had an opportunity of only two persons occupying this position and look at Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic leading a Committee of Polytechnics of over 183 in Nigeria”.
He also mentioned other achievements including getting federal government revitalization fund and having internet connectivity on campus which he said will enhance teaching, research and learning and boost administration.
He said the polytechnic has also enjoyed peaceful co-existence with its host community – Rumuola.
In his sermon, the guest minister, Rev. Joe Ezema, speaking on the topic ” Streams of Thanksgiving: The Secret of Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic “, quoting from Jeremiah 30:19, said that thanksgiving to God has given the polytechnic testimonies saying that the institution under the rector had applied the principle of thanksgiving.
He also said God appreciates thanksgiving.
There was prayer session and choir ministration as well as a thanksgiving session by the institution’s management, staff and unions and students of the polytechnic.
This year’s theme is “Streams of Thanksgiving and Praise”.
