OUR HISTORY

The Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana came into being in 1981 with Engr. Dr. O.B Epelle as the Pioneer Rector. It was established by the Federal Government of Nigeria to help serve the growing needs of our country in her efforts to be self-sufficient in technological education.

At its inception, Government directed that the site of the former Federal Government College Okposi, abandoned after the civil war should be used as temporary site of the Polytechnic while the permanent site was designed for Unwana. An interim office was immediately established at Afikpo Local Government Headquarters and with the cooperation of the people of Okposi, plans to open the temporary site were actively pursued. Rehabilitation work began on January 15, 1982 and within two months the secondary school was partially shaped into an Academic Campus even though temporary.

On November 18, 1981, a Federal Government team led by Mrs. E. Joyce Coker, an Assistant Director of Education in the Federal Ministry of Education, together with the new Rector, Engr. Dr. O.B. Epelle, the Director of Planning, National Board for Technical Education and the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Prof. Obiako, visited Unwana and met with the traditional ruler, Late Ezeogo Dr. Akanu Ibiam, who handed over an area of land approximately 620 hectares (AIFPU) which the Unwana Community had donated for the building of the permanent site of the Polytechnic.

On Saturday, March 13, 1982, the first entrance examination for the admission of the first batch of students into the Polytechnic took place in three centers in the Country. 178 students as a result were offered admission for the National Diploma courses in Business Administration, Secretarial Studies, Electrical/Electronics Engineering Technology and Mechanical Engineering Technology. On April 30, 1982, the foundation stone of the Polytechnic was laid at Unwana by the then Civilian Vice-President of the Federation, Dr. Alex Ekwueme.

The first batch of students were admitted on May 27, 1982, and lectures began immediately at Okposi. Consequently, the administrative office was moved from Afikpo, its interim location to Okposi. The 1982 session saw the addition of Departments of Accountancy and Science Laboratory Technology, while the Department of Civil Engineering Technology was added in the 1983/84 session. Altogether, thirty four sets of students have graduated. The first convocation in March 1984 was for 1981/82, 1982/83 graduates. Each batch of graduate was trained for four semesters for National Diploma (ND) or for Higher National Diploma (HND). Presently, the Polytechnic has 27 Academic Departments.

The polytechnic provides an all-round training for acquisition of foundational skills for technological freedom as contained in the motor – “Skill for Technological Freedom”. There were about six thousand students as at 2015/2016 session.

Functionally, the Polytechnic is divisible broadly into two activity sectors: the Administrative Sector and the Academic Sector. The Polytechnic currently has Venerable Dr. Ogbonna Ibe-Enwo as its Rector.

THE ADMINISTRATIVE SETUP

The Administrative sector comprises the Rectory (comprising the Audit, the Public Relation Unit, Directorate of Affiliation Collaboration and Linkages, Freedom of Information Unit, the Security (now outsourced), the Medical Centre, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the Registry Division, the Bursary Division, the Estate and Works Division, Physical Planning and Development Division. Each of these Non-Academic Departments/Divisions contain several units.

Six Schools make up the Academic Sector of the Polytechnic. They are the School of Engineering Technology, the School of Business Studies, the School of Industrial Technology, the School of Science Technology, the School of Environmental Design and Technology and the School of General and Basic Studies. Within the School of Engineering Technology are six departments; Mechanical Engineering Technology, Electrical/Electronics Engineering Technology, Civil Engineering Technology, Mechatronics Engineering Technology, Metallurgical Technology and Computer Engineering Technology. The School of Business Studies comprises six Departments namely Accountancy, Business Administration and Management, Marketing, Office Technology and Management, Public Administration and Library & Information Science.

The School of Industrial Technology comprises five Departments namely, Agricultural Technology, Food Technology, Horticulture and Landscape Technology, Hospitality & Tourism Management and Glass/Ceramics Technology.

Three Departments make up the School of Science Technology. These are: Computer Science, Maths/Statistics and Science Laboratory Technology. The School of Environmental Design and Technology comprises six Departments namely, Architectural Technology, Building Technology, Estate Management and Valuation, Quantity Surveying, Surveying and Geo-informatics, and Urban and Regional Planning. The School of General and Basic Studies is made up of Department of General Studies and Remedial/Basic Studies.

The Rector who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Polytechnic is at the apex of the Polytechnic administrative hierarchy. Below and reporting directly to him are a number of Principal Administrative and Academic Officers. These are the Deputy Rector (Academic), the Deputy Rector (Administration), the Registrar, the Bursar, the Polytechnic Librarian, the Director of Medical Services, the Director of Physical Planning and Development, the Director of Information and Communication Technology, the Director of Centre for Entrepreneurship Education, the Director for the Directorate of Continuing Education, the Director of Affiliation, Collaboration and Linkages, the Director of Internally Generated Revenue, the Director of Polytechnic Development and six Deans of School.

Thus, the Rector coordinates the activities of the Polytechnic through them. Under the foregoing, Principal and Management Officers and Head of Departments are responsible to him for the activities of the Departments. In the Non-Academic Departments, for example the Registry, the Unit Heads Report to the Head of Department/Division to whom they are responsible for the work in their Unit.

ACADEMIC ORGANIZATION

The Polytechnic is made of Schools. Each School consists of Departments that form the basic unit and runs programmes at National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) levels. There are at present, six Schools namely, Schools of Engineering Technology, School of Business Studies, School of Industrial Technology, School of Environmental Design and Technology, School of Science and School of General and Basic Studies.

POLYTECHNIC ADMINISTRATION

Decree No. 33 of 25th July, 1979 that established the Federal Polytechnics delineates the administration of the Polytechnic into three, namely,

  1. Council, for Policy matters
  2. Management, for day-to-day administration of the Polytechnic and
  3. Academic Board, for academic matters.

COUNCIL AND POLICY RESPONSIBILITIES

Decree No. 28 of 8th October, 1987, amending Decree No. 33 of 25TH July, 1979, specified the composition of Polytechnic Councils whose general functions were also set out in Section 5 of Decree No. 33 of 1979. The general functions of the Council are as follows:

  1. Subject to the provisions of this Decree, each council shall be the Governing body of the Polytechnic concerned and shall have the general management of the affairs of the Polytechnic, and in particular, the control of the property and finances of the Polytechnic; and shall also have the power to do anything which in its opinion is calculated to facilitate the carrying out of the activities of the Polytechnic and promote its best interests.
  2. The Council may acquire and hold such movable or immovable property as may be necessary or expedient for carrying into effect the provisions of this decree, and for the same purpose may sell, lease, and mortgage or otherwise alienate or depose of any property so acquired.
  3. The Council may enter into such contracts as may be necessary or expedient for carrying into effect the provisions of this decree.

“The Federal Polytechnic Act of 1979, as amended by Decree No. 33 of 1985, which established the Federal Polytechnics and vested their Councils the powers to consider and approve:

  1. the programmes of studies, courses and researches to be undertaken;
  2. the annual estimates of the Polytechnic,
  3. the investment plans of the Polytechnic;
  4. plan of any other activities of the Polytechnic;
  5. any programmes which, in its opinion, are calculated to facilitate the carrying out of the activities of the Polytechnic and promote their best interests.”

For the discharge of its responsibilities, Council normally operates with the following committees, namely:

  1. Finance & General Purposes Committee chaired by Council Chairman;
  2. Senior Staff Appointments & Promotions Committee chaired by the Rector;
  3. Physical Planning and Development Committee
  4. Town and Gown Committee
  5. Junior Staff Appointments & Promotions Committee chaired by the Registrar
  6. Students Affairs Committee chaired by the Rector’s appointee.

RECTOR AND MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Decree No. 33 of 1979 also established the Academic Board with Rector as Chairman and the following as members: the Deputy Rectors, the Polytechnic Librarian, Directors and Deans of School, Heads of Department, and not more than 2 members of the Academic Staff other than the Heads of Department.

The Academic Board, according to Decree 33 of 1979, is responsible for

  1. “the direction and management of academic matters of the Polytechnic including the regulation of admission of students, the award of certificates and diplomas, scholarships, prizes and other academic distinctions.
  2. the making to the Council of such periodic reports on such academic matters as the Academic Board may think fit or as the Council may, from time to time, direct; and
  3. the discharge of any other functions which the council may delegate to it”.

The Academic Board is guided by its academic regulations and operates with the following standing committees:

  1. Admissions Committee
  2. Space and Time-Table Committee
  3. Curriculum Committee

In addition to the above, the Academic Board has a number of ad-hoc committees, namely:

  1. Polytechnic Handbook Committee
  2. Continuing Education Committee
  3. Research and Exhibition Committee
  4. Committee on Affiliation of Courses

PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION

In addition to the stipulations of Decree No. 33 of 1979 and its subsequent amendments of 1985 and 1987 on staff appointments, promotions and discipline, the NBTE has produced the Federal Polytechnics Staff Manual of 1986 while the Federal Ministry of Education and Federal Polytechnics which was reviewed in 2013. For personnel administration, Management has established two offices in the Registry for Senior and Junior Staff matters.

STUDENT ADMINISTRATION

The administration of the students is determined by the relevant Sections of Decree No. 33 of 1979 and the Students Handbook, Academic Regulations and Hostel Regulations.

The students are, of their own volition, organized into Student’s Union, Departmental Students’ Associations, Social Clubs and Cultural Groups. For effective students’ administration, Management appointed a Dean, Student Affairs and Student Affairs Officer for that purpose.