Dr. Joel Akowe Delivers KogiPoly Inaugural Lecture

By Abubakar Suleman

Thursday, April 2024 was a day of joy for the entire Kogi state polytechnic management, staff and students and specifically for Dr. Joel Akawu, Doctor of management studies. It was the day Dr. Akawu delivered his inaugural lecture titled “ Manpower Resourcing And Productivity Management In The Public Sector: The Cacophony Of Paradox”.

While speaking at the inaugural lecture held at the kogi state Polythecnic Hall A, the eminent academic declared that mandate of government at all levels to deliver public goods and services to the people depends on human effectiveness and efficiency.

Dr. Akowe stressed that the quality of the workforce is fundamental to the realisation of this goal, noting that the process of acquiring these workers must be very balanced.

He warned against the use of public office by the political class and their strategic bureaucrats to satisfy private, political, ethnic or family interest.He enumerated the consequences of the above in the state’s public service to include employees inflow which he said is usually more than the absorptive capacities of the MDAs.

According to him “Many of those employed have often demonstrated lack of requisite knowledge, skills and attitudes for the job they were employed for; There is usually widespread cases of ‘Protected’ indiscipline as a result of god-fatherism, disloyalty to constituted authorities, increase in training needs and poor servicing of employees’ entitlements resulting to consequent industrial cases amongst others.

As a result of the observed consequences of violation of the resourcing procedures in the Nigerian public service, Dr. Akowe advocated for regular staff auditing in MDAs, due process protocol in declaring vacancies and making their recruitments open while selection of candidates should be strictly based on predetermined criteria.

Also he recommended that orientation agencies, civil societies and NGOs should embark on deliberate education/enlightenment of citizens and other critical stakeholders across the country to awaken their consciousness to demand for fair participation in competitive employment as well as process accountability and transparency of the relevant agencies of employment.He said most of the objectives listed above have not been achieved due to human problems facing public sector saying that it is difficult to determine the effects of work motivation and compensation on the productivity of public sector organization, the effects of Ethics and Values on the productivity of public sector, to examine the effects of work attitude of workers on the productivity of public sector organizations and to examine the effects of recruitment and selection process of workers on productivity of public sector organizations.

The finance for public sector businesses is found by federal, state and local government and their aim are to give service either for the people of the country as a whole or for those who live in the local government authorities.

In his own welcome address, The Rector of Kogi State Polytechnic, Dr. Salisu Usman Ogbo said that the Maiden Inaugural Lecture is yet another significant milestone in the academic development of the institution since his assumption of office.

The Rector noted that the Polytechnic under his leadership has made its mark in the areas of security architecture, successful hosting of the 4th combined convocation ceremonies of the Polytechnic, full accreditation of 30 programmes by the National Board for Technical Education.

Similarly, the Rector stated that the Polytechnic under his administration embarked on construction, renovation and rehabilitation of students hostels and perimeter fencing of the female hostels, construction, renovation and rehabilitation of lecture theatres, classrooms and office blocks,Remodeling and Reconstruction of old library complex to a 30 bed medical Centre as a replacement of a 3 bed sick bay inherited by his administration.

Aside equipping the Polytechnic library, the Rector said that his administration also ensured zero tolerance for unethical practices and introduction of CBT Centre for the conduct of General studies examinations for ease of conduct and prompt release of results.