The vision of developing human capital for the Nigerian oil and gas sector to enhance local sourcing of critical manpower by key players in the industry such as the Nigeria LNG, Shell Nigeria, ExxonMobil, Chevron and others is being actualized at the Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas (FPOG), Bonny.

Rector of the polytechnic, Professor Tamunoimi Abbey, who stated this at the maiden Matriculation Ceremony of the institution on Saturday, June 5, 2021, in Bonny, disclosed that with the institution’s specialized courses focused on bridging the skills gaps in the oil and gas sector, the polytechnic was on track to becoming a one-stop shop for manpower sourcing.

He informed that courses such as Marine Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technology, Industrial Safety and Environmental Engineering Technology, Petroleum Marketing and Business Studies and Statistics were currently on offer for the National Diploma degrees in the polytechnic.

Prof. Abbey, who recently won the global award for Advances in research with specialty in Bifurcating Rectangular Porous Channel, expressed appreciation to all key stakeholders whose efforts saw to the establishment of the polytechnic, stating that these include President Muhammadu Buhari, former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, former Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili, the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Bonny Kingdom, His Majesty, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, CON, Perekule XI, amongst several others.

He charged the matriculants to get involved in the Polytechnic’s A+ agenda and its emphasis on ethical soundness, academic excellence and integrity, further admonishing the students to shun all forms of social vices and focus on excellent performance at their convocation.

Also speaking, Chairman of Bonny LGA, David Irimagha commended the Rector and his management team for their efforts at making the matriculation ceremony happen, describing it as a “historical event” and “a milestone”.

Represented by his Vice, Anengi Barasua, the Bonny LGA boss enjoined the matriculating students to focus on their studies, noting that “the beauty of matriculation is convocation”, pointing out that their attitude towards their academic work will determine their future academic prowess or failure.

“On behalf of the Executive Chairman of Bonny LGA, I stand to congratulate you for this milestone; the maiden edition of the Matriculation Ceremony of this noble institution. I am also happy to be part of it and classify it as a historical event.”

“Let me thank the Rector for all his efforts to make sure that today has come to be. To you that are matriculating today, the little advice I have for you is first to congratulate you and to tell you that the beauty of matriculation is the graduation ceremony.”

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“Today’s ceremony admits you into the polytechnic for you to come and achieve your goals in life; for you to come and accomplish your mission. Just like the Rector had advised to be focused and not to engage in social vices that will ruin you and not help you. What you know now will not take you far in life but what you come to learn here will take you to places and help you accomplish many other tasks in life.”

On his part, the Chief and Head of the Captain Hart Group of House of Bonny Kingdom, Chief Reginald Hart expressed gratitude to God Almighty for the actualization of the dream of establishing the institution and having the matriculation of its first students.

“I want to say a big thank you to God Almighty for what we have been able to accomplish today. The dream of this polytechnic started in 1999 when Dr Peter Odili was Governor and President Olusegun Obasanjo, who I will describe as a listening President.”

The former Chairman of the Bonny Chiefs Council (BCC) congratulated the management and students of the polytechnic on the occasion of the maiden matriculation, assuring that the Bonny Chiefs Council will do all it can to support the institution to grow.

“I want to pay a wonderful tribute to the King of Bonny for his efforts. Today is a red letter day in the history of Bonny Kingdom. Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas is a foremost oil and gas institution. I congratulate all of you who are here today. The Bonny Chiefs Council will continue to support the polytechnic in whatever way we can.”  

The Secretary of the King Perekule Palace, Chief Abel Attoni, who asked that all participants stand to observe a one minute silence in honour of the pioneer Rector of the polytechnic, Prof. Elijah Tamuno Iyagba, praised the FPOG management for the success of the day’s event, but noted that more was expected from them to ensure that the institution remains a destination of choice for local sourcing of manpower, observing that as a federal institution, the stakeholding was beyond Bonny LGA.  

“I want to say thank you to Prof. Tamunoimi Abbey for all the projects that I see going on; but to us as a people, I want to say, yes, we fought for this institution to be established here but we must realize now that there are other interests. In other words you have people across the length and breadth of Nigeria making a claim for this institution. The traditional institution will continue to make efforts to support this institution”  

Kristina Reports learnt that in all, 7,000 fresh students were admitted into the polytechnic for the 2020/2021 academic session to study for national Diploma degrees in various courses accredited for the institution by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).