My national productivity award, call for higher service ― LASU VC

The Vice-chancellor, Lagos State University( LASU), Ojo, has said his being awarded the National Productivity Order of Merit Award (NPOMA) by the Federal Government is a call for higher productivity.

He said this in a chat with newsmen shortly after he was conferred with the award by President Muhammadu Buhari at NAF Conference Centre and Suites, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, on Thursday.

Fagbohun, a Professor of Environmental Law was conferred with the honour alongside 24 others under the individual category and seven organisations. Among other recipients of the award, an annual event and18th in the series, is the billionaire business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Chairman of UBA Group, Mr Tony Elumelu; Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculations Board(JAMB), Prof Is-haq Oloyede; Chairman Honeywell Group, Dr Oba Otudeko; Chairman Editorial Board, The Nation Newspapers, Mr Sam Omatseye; Comptroller-General, Nigerian Customs Service, Col Hameed Ali(retd); former Vice-Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof Benjamin Ozumba; Chairman, Channel Television, Mr John Momoh; former Administrator, Daura Local Government Council; Alhaji Lawal Aliyu and former Perm Sec, Federal Ministry of Power and Steel,  Alhaji  Abubakar Mamu and so forth.

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While President Buhari was represented at the event (packaged by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment) by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha and with Dr Chris Ngige in attendance, the former Director-General of the National Centre for Economic Management and Administration, Ibadan, Prof Mike Obadan, was a guest speaker. He spoke on “Productivity for national re-engineering, security and growth in Nigeria.”

Speaking further, Fagbohun said the basis upon which he was nominated for the award by LASU and endorsed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) was a testament to his dedicated and selfless service to the development of the university education and the Lagos State economy by extension.

“But we just submitted the application and continued with our work without putting our minds on it until about two weeks ago when I was informed of my selection for the award,” he noted. “This is an award that selection is thorough, transparent and independent of any affiliation be it political, religion or ethnicity colourations as explained by the panel of judges constituted for the purpose.”

While the vice-chancellor said he dedicated the award to the entire LASU community in that the achievement recorded so far under his administration largely upon which he was honoured was the joint efforts with that of staff and students as well as other stakeholders of the university.

He said while he would not relent on his oars but work harder as the VC of LASU, the university on its part would continue to provide graduates for global markets and also engage in quality research and community services.

In her remarks at the event, the former Deputy Governor of Lagos State and now Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDG, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said she was particularly happy about the national recognition accorded Professor Fagbohun.

She said the honour was evidence to show that there is a reward for dedication, hard work and selfless service notwithstanding the persons involved.

She, therefore, urged the honoree to be more committed to his assignments as a university administrator and to other endeavours so as to move LASU to a greater height.

She said Nigeria needs people who would contribute meaningfully to the growth and development of the country, the condition she said required all hands to be on deck.

Responding earlier on behalf of all the award recipients, Oba Otudeko, thanked the federal government for the honour, promising that they would strive harder in their various capacities.