A Toast To Federal Polytechnic, Ukana @10
The journey of a thousand miles they say, begins with just a single but decisive step.
Such a step, it must be stated, begins sometimes decisively, others take-off tentatively, testing the waters to be sure it does not meet with turbulence.
But for the Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, it could be said without any fear of contradiction that the institution took a decisive and assured step when it began operation in 2014, having gotten a nod from the then Federal Government under the presidential watch of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan on June 9 of same year, riding on the Acts for the establishment of Polytechnics in various parts of the country.
Since commencing operations, the Polytechnic has not taken its foot off the pedal of progress and development. With unwavering support from the then Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio, the Polytechnic set out operations on a solid footing, and has maintained that momentum without a trace of backwardness despite its teething challenges.
Located in the serene community of Ukana along Ikot Ekpene/Abak Road, in Essien Udim local government area of Akwa Ibom State, the institution has maintained, with abiding fidelity, its well-articulated vision of enhancing and promoting the best practices in skills and technological innovations aimed at producing global icons for the world economy.
This, it has done through the hiring of highly qualified, passionate and qualitative personnel in all departments to execute, with surgical precision, the mandate of the Polytechnic, encouragement of research and skill development, and putting together of seminars and workshops in the various fields of studies in the institution using new and cutting-edge technologies, among others.
At ten, the Polytechnic can look back with pride from when it started, juxtapose it with where it has gotten today, and look forward with great optimism to a future that, from what has been gleaned from the crystal ball, is pregnant with layers of greatness.
With a well equipped library, laboratories and a team of highly committed staff, the institution remains poised to keep the wheels of development and steady progress alive, while ensuring that some of its major challenges, chief among which is funding, low manpower, and some capital and TETfund projects some of which have been completed, while others are under various stages of completion, are not only completed and inaugurated, but to specification and in good time.
Today the Polytechnic is operating two campuses – the main campus and the annex campus with 8 programmes running. These include ND in Civil Engineering Technology, Electrical Engineering Technology, Computer Engineering Technology, Science Laboratory Technology, Computer Science, Statistics, Accountancy and Business Administration and Management.
As the Federal Polytechnic, Ukana clocks ten today, it is safe to say that the institution has come a long way since 2014, and, by any barometer of assessment, the future looks illuminating bright. So, it is in order to toast to greatness, breaking of more grounds, garnering more strength, and willpower to weather more storms, while coming out unscathed.
Happy anniversary, Federal Polytechnic, Ukana!
