Obong University, Etim Ekpo holds induction workshop for officers and staff

…Workshop has positioned us for worldclass exploits in academics - Participants

 

A one day induction workshop organized for officers and staff of Obong University has been concluded with participants pledging to deploy the wealth of knowledge garnered at the workshop to help in achieving the strategic vision of the University which is to produce globally competitive graduates for societal benefits and self reliance. 

The workshop which drew participants from the Academic and Non-academic workforce of Obong University attracted resource persons from other academic institutions including the University of Uyo. 

Declaring the workshop open, the chairman of the Board of Trustees of Obong University, Professor Moses Akpanudo lauded the vision behind the organization of the workshop, expressing the belief that the event will equip the participants with knowledge that will help the University achieve its core targets and objective. 

Professor Akpanudo who was represented on the occasion by the Executive Director, Development and Alumni Relations of Obong University, Professor Efana Usua noted that as a dynamic institution, Obong University has always been at the forefront of keeping tap with emerging trends and global best practices in the area of academics with a view to evolving strategies that will help in integrating its workforce into these new trends for optimal productivity.

“At Obong University here in Etim Ekpo L.G.A, we are driven by the core vision of delivering the kind of education that guarantees sustainable development of self for our graduates and the society in extension. This vision makes the constant training and retraining of our staff and officers even more imperative. We live in a changing world, with new ideas and innovations constantly bombarding us on a daily basis. As an institution, poised to deliver qualitative education to our students, training and retraining of our staff and officers has always been a matter of top priority. This is because the quality of products of a certain University has a strong correlation with the knowledge and competencies of the workforce of such a university.”  

Delivering a lead paper on the topic “University Administration: Ethical conduct and quality service” one of the Resource persons Professor Ini Uko maintained that it is imperative for every University system to set ethical codes that will provide the standard for conducts of its workforce while also serving as a compass to the direction which the university system is going, stressing that this will translate to quality service delivery which in turn leads to higher productivity. 

Professor Uko who is the Director, Pre-Degree and Foundation Programme at Dr. Ime Umana Campus of the University of Uyo, further pointed out that the existence of sound ethical conducts usually leads to a healthy relationship between staff and students of a particular University, adding that unethical conducts are partly responsible for the glaring low level of products emerging from some Nigerian Universities. 

Speaking to our correspondent after the workshop some staff of Obong University lauded the effort of the management in organizing the workshop noting that the event has afforded them the opportunity to update their ideas bank on contemporary best practices needed for optimal performance in the University system.
The participants maintained that with the wealth of valuable information they have garnered at the workshop,  Obong University will fare even better in terms of the delivery of qualitative higher education and general service delivery to its students.

 In his remarks at the event, the registrar of Obong University and Secretary to Council, Mr Imoh Akpaudo, lauded the contributions of the resource persons to the successful hosting of the workshop, even as he reminded the participants of the need to adequately deploy the knowledge they have accumulated from the different papers presented at the workshop to contribute to the realization of the dream of the University to becoming the best private University in Africa.

 “Today, you have been armed with the knowledge that will help you improve on the way you go about your different responsibilities here in Obong University. It is the expectation of the Governing council of this University that the wealth of knowledge you have gathered in this workshop will be find physical manifestation in the quality of your output as it has to do with your day to day responsibilities.” 

Papers presented at the workshop include “Effective Communication” by Prof. Ini Uko,  ”University Administrative Leadership: The roles of Deans of Faculties and Heads of Departments” by E. A. G. Imeh, Director, General Administration, University of Uyo, Uyo. “Managing Your Boss: Secretarial and Office Organization” by Mrs. Aniekan Affia, principal personal Secretary, General Administration, University of Uyo, Uyo, “The Challenges of University Administration – The Integrity Question” by Professor E. J. Usua, Executive Director, Obong University Centre for Development and Alumni Relations., “Office Organization and Practice for Junior Staff” by Mr. Paul R. Otong, Principal Executive Officer, Department of Economics, University of Uyo, Uyo.; “Personnel Management: Strategies for Promoting Productivity in the University by Mr. Linus Okoko, Principal Assistant Registrar, Office of the Registrar, University of Uyo, Uyo., among others.