FUTO Begins Manufacturing of Car

Posted by African Examiner education, Letters/Rejoinders, News, News From The State Tuesday, June 17th, 2014

Ignatius Okpara, Owerri

The management of Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) says it has entered into partnership with the Technical University, Munich, Germany and the Imo State Polytechnic Umuagwo to develop automobiles for the Sub-Saharan Africa.

According to the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof Cyril Gozie Asiabaka, the project is aimed at solving the mobility needs of Nigerians in particular and other African nations such as Ghana Kenya, amongst others.

The VC, who made this known Monday while giving account of his stewardship in the past three years as the 6th substantive Vice Chancellor of the University, said that the most important component of this global divine project is the infusion of local materials in its production, affordability, robust electronics, simple operation, climate/environmental friendliness and ultimately, its production in the region.

He said: “As I speak, the project has reached an advanced stage and in a short while, the project would be unveiled” he promised.

Professor Asiabaka, further said in keeping with the vision of internationalization of University, the institution and the Galilee International Management Institute (GIMI) had established a joint centre for the study of management.

He however, listed the main objectives of the Centre to include: teaching and researching in advanced subjects and methods in management including Human resources management, industrial management and high education management.

He said when operational, the Centre would focus on new and innovative methods of managing organizations from the public as well as from the private sector as well as offer postgraduate programmes.

Professor Asiabaka who also spoke of his achievements in students welfare, infrastructural development and beautification of the campus environment said that the successful computerization of all aspects of the university activities had formed one of the cardinal objectives of his quest for excellence.

He stated that the institution had in the past three years gradually moved rapidly in the use of computer in most of its activities in a bid to reduce high volume of paper work, from e-senate to e-appraisal, electronic payment of school fees and automatic generation of receipts.

Enumerating further some of his achievements, the VC said that his administration had completed a new building complex for the School of Engineering and Engineering Technology (SEET) named “Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Engineering complex” which would accommodate six departments in the school.

He added that the institution currently has a total of 27 on going projects out of which 14 had been completed .

Apart from the massive improvement of the level of infrastructure on campus and the attraction of more projects to meet the growing population within the university community,he explained that the administration had painstakingly adhered to a well-defined corporate governance codes consistent with extent laws that regulate “our affairs in the university” he stated