Kogi Poly Holds Maiden Inaugural Lecture »

….As Don Articulates Measures for Enhanced Manpower Productivity in the Public Sector

It was a celebration of another academic accomplishment at the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja on Thursday 25th April, 2024 as intellectuals and other stakeholders in the academic gathered for the historic maiden Chief Lecturer Inaugural Lecture of the institution.

The inaugural lecture which was held at the Hall ‘A’ of the Polytechnic’s main campus, Lokoja had Dr. Joel Akowe of the Department of Public Administration, and immediate past Dean, School of Management Studies as the first Inaugural Lecturer of the institution.

His lecture was titled: ‘Manpower Resourcing and Productivity Management in The Public Sector: The Cacophony of Paradox.’

Dr. Akowe noted that to achieve optimum commitment of the workforce in the public sector and ensure sustained performance attitude of the workers, government at all levels must be seen to be transparent, just and committed to engaging required number of competent staff in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

He identified common consequences of manpower resourcing problems as overloading of the productivity space, poor servicing of working conditions and working tools, poor management of incentives, recurrent intra-group and inter-group conflicts and ineffective disciplinary measures.

He stressed that the cumulative effect is the prevailing dwindling productivity that has characterized public service institutions in Nigeria.

Dr Akowe added that, in order to forestall inadequacy and less productivity of the workforce in Nigeria, there is need for regular staff auditing in the respective Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of aagovernment and the declaration of vacancies and transparent recruitment process, irrespective of the number of vacancies involved.

He stressed that sanctions against offenders should be certain, swift and severe to ensure conformity with the extant rules.

He urged Mass Media, civil society and human rights agencies to take special interest in the areas of recruitment, especially from the perspective of fundamental human rights and freedoms so as to expand process of auditing of the resourcing agencies, and that selection of candidates should be based on objective criteria and in accordance with the performance at interview.

He stressed that training and development should be given serious attention by public institutions for enhanced skills and attitudinal adjustments of the employees in the face of the ever dynamic and competitive environment, and that workers’ salaries and fringe benefits should be taken very seriously and the socio-political environment should consider themselves as crucial partners, rather than agents of interferences, to ensure free flow of services by the respective public service institutions.

Earlier in his address, the Rector of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, Dr. Salisu Ogbo Usman, said the Inaugural Lecture marked another ‘first’ of many ‘firsts’ under his watch where academic stakeholders would gather to celebrate the academic journey and accomplishments of scholars who have contributed in leaps and bounds towards personnel development and promoting the core values of the institution.

Dr. Usman noted that the current management has been working assiduously in restoring Kogi State Polytechnic to institutional preeminence with efficient infrastructural provision, administrative revolution, academic advancement, moral rebirth, effective security architecture, amongst others.

While commending the Inaugural lecturer, Dr. Joel Akowe for being the curtain raiser in what would become part of the institution’s academic rituals, Dr. Usman lauded the choice of the inaugural Lecture topic which he described as valuable and capable of enlightening the public on intricacies involved in human resource management and how best to enhance its productivity.

The Rector equally charged other Chief Lecturers to follow suit so as to institutionalise Inaugural Lecture delivery on campus.

He also challenged retired Chief Lecturers of the Polytechnic to deliver to valedictory lecture, which he described as debt as they owe the institution, so as to make the younger academia to benefit from their wealth of experience in their respective fields.

Top government functionaries, heads of security agencies, members of academic community, families of the inaugural lecturer, members of the media, amongst others, graced the Inaugural Lecture.

Uredo Omale
Director,
Directorate of Public Relations and Protocol,
Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja.