Quality, Sustainable Leadership: UNN Senior Staff Association Honors Gov Ugwuanyi
In a bid to encourage quality leadership in governance, the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities, (SSANU), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), on Friday honored Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu with an Award of Excellence.
The Association presented the Award to the Governor at the Nsukka Campus of the University during a workshop it organized to improve the technological capabilities of staff and students in the institution.
Presenting the Award, the chairman, UNN SSANU caretaker committee, Comrade Emma Ugwuja said that the Committment showcased by Enugu State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi towards sustainable development of the State deserved a lot of commendations and encouragement.
Ugwuja described as impressive and highly encouraging the commitment of the state governor to the affairs of the institution, adding this “award is intended to celebrate and encourage the governor for his distinguished efforts in making the state the most peaceful and development oriented in Nigeria.
“Under three and half years in office, the Governor has not only given quality leadership but has made the state a safe environment for investments and businesses”.
Ugwuja who described as path- breaking the workshop organized by the Union, said that the event was geared towards sensitizing members of the union and the entire university community in the direction of greater awareness of the opportunities available for them to improve their capabilities so as to contribute to the overall organizational goals of the University through ICT.
“We are trying to re-focus our energies in the direction of issue based activism and we recognize as a union our roles as partners in progress in collaborating with partners and friends of the university in the arduous task of redefining our great university as a centre of excellence” he said.
He said that the workshop was also intended to improve academic and labour productivity in Nigeria noting such was highly needed to take the country to the next level.
Speaking also, the Vice- Chancellor of the University, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba said that staff and students of the institution must continue to leverage on the recent technological and project management capabilities that have become more globally available in other to enhance them to address the huge opportunities of the 21st century.
According to him, the theme of the workshop: “Strategically harnessing the Technology workspace for staff and students to improve productivity” is a topical issue in the current search for accelerated world of development
He explained that Information and communications Technology has continued to evolve globally and across sub Saharan Africa and that this great University has consistently pursued the policy of building for its staff and students the capacity that would enable them align properly with their counterparts in advanced nations
“Our university will continue to focus on any turnkey project that would avail us more the use of technology, particularly on the utilization of online education, e-learning, distant education among others in the Nigerian educational system and the advancement in scientific discoveries that would in the long run, enhance the overall development of the Nigerian economy” he said.
Reacting to the award, Ugwuanyi thanked the union for recognizing his efforts in the state, adding that it further goes to show the extent of cordial relationship that exists between the state government and the University community.
The governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Uche Eze said that his administration is development driven which is why he has always made sure that those who voted him into power reap the dividends of democracy.
According to him, leadership is not about propaganda but about promises backed by action. “In the time we have spent so far, we have been able to achieve a lot in terms of infrastructural development. There are good road networks everywhere today because we know the importance of good road networks to economic development”
“We have also made efforts to always pay workers in the state, especially, our teachers because we cannot downplay the importance of education to human development” he said, adding that he is ever committed to making lives better for people in the state.
