After years in limbo, the federal government’s research agency in Enugu is back on its feet again. CHUKS NWEZE reports.
The Project Development Institute (PRODA) Enugu initially known as the East Central State Project Development Agency (ECSPDA) was formed to promote the establishment of new industrial projects through laboratory and pilot investigations to actual construction of large scale commercial plant, utilizing local raw materials and indigenous man power.
It was also expected that home grown industries could be launched very cheaply in keeping with the agency’s motto: ‘Industrialisation through self-Reliance’.
Following the creation of Anambra and Imo states from the former East Central State in 1976, the agency was then made a parastatal under the Nigerian Council for Science and Technology (NCST) and was later renamed Project Development Institute (PRODA) by the federal government in 1980 as a research institute under the Ministry of Science and Techynology.
Its pioneer leader, the late Professor Gordian Ezekwe left his foot prints in the sands of time in the agency as he laid a solid foundation for the growth of the organisation.
Unfortunately, this federal government- owned agency had over the years been enveloped in an unending crisis which affected it’s productivity for many years.
Infact, some citizens and stakeholders had nicked name the institute with ridiculous names like ‘House of Commotion’ etc as some staff members who are professional petition writers had vowed that peace will never reign in the agency.
Efforts by successive headship of the organisation to restore peace in the establishment had always hit the brick wall as the petition writers were unrepentant and had remained a cog in the wheel of progress of the establishment.
A new lease of life
However, the negative narrative in the agency changed for good about a year ago following the appointment of a renowned Engineer and man of peace, Dr. Peter Okwudilichukwu Ogbobe, as the substantive director general by the immediate past president, Muhammadu Buhari.
Ogbobe’s appointment, which has ushered in a new dawn in the once crisis – ridden agency, is a non renewable five years tenure. It took effect immediately and was contained in a letter dated May 20, 2022 signed by the the ex- president’s Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari.
Suffice to say that since assumption of office about a year ago, Dr. Ogbobe, a Chinese trained engineer has been able to unite all the warring groups at both junior and senior cadres, including trade unions in the establishment.
After accomplishing the perceived challenge of restoring total and enduring peace in the agency, knowing full well that no meaningful feat can be achieved in an atmosphere of crisis or rancour, the PRODA boss, swung into action in puting mechanism in motion towards restoring its lost glory in terms of reviving all near morribund facilities.
Giant strides
Barely one year in office, Dr Ogbobe has re-written the history of PRODA, as he has succeded in revatalizing virtually all the departments and units in the agency which were before his assumption of office in near comatose, but are now functioning optimally.
Within the year under review, he has embarked on huge and numerous projects such as construction and equipping of a state of the art auditorium, modern ICT Centre, multipurpose hall, ongoing state of the art sports arena which could be likened to a mini Stadium, a 1.9-km Ashphat road to the institute which has remained in a terrible state over the years, among many others.
Most importantly, aside the provision of physical infrastructure, Dr Ogbobe, whom some of the Staff have described as a man of peace and God-sent has brought sanity to the agency by unifying the three industrial unions, pacifying all the aggrieved staff and putting a total stop factions and disunity among staff.
The unassuming DG, has equally revived the institute’s foundry section which is now very operational. The section has the capacity to produce some of the motor spare parts which were hitherto being imported into the country. That is to say, if fully harnessed, the company has the capacity of not only contributing to the Nations GDP, but would also create huge jobs for the teaming unemployed youths of the country, especially Enugu state and South east.
It is also on record that over the years, past administrations under different chief executives in the institute have made efforts to increase the agency’s internally generated revenue (IGR) and get investors/collaborators but no avail; however barely one year in office, Dr Ogbobe, has gotten both local and international investors that have indicated interest to invest in agency.
Investigation shows that already, some of the Memoranda of Understanding MOU are ready to be signed for a take off.
Ogbobe has also revived the institute’s ceramics department which is now fully operational and some of it’s R&D activities are ready for commercialisation.
An employee of the agency who spoke under the condition of anonimity said, “His open door policy and fatherly nature has contributed largely to staff optimisation.”
Furthermore, as part of his quest towards making PRODA one of the best research Institutes in Africa, the institute has begun scientific study on Lithium ion with a view to using it in production of Made in Nigeria Battery.
Determined to actualise the lofty dream for the federal government institute under his supervision, Ogbobe, has sent some staff to India for training.
The director general, recently disclosed this to newsmen in Enugu when he received in audience the executive committee members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ) Correspondent’s Chapel who paid him courtesy visit in his office.
The PRODA boss, who conducted the journalists round various departments of the institute, said they were researching to produce Lithium ion battery with their own formula, saying the idea is to reduce importation of battery into Nigeria.
He said Nigeria has enough deposits of granite, stressing that most of the natural resources being used by the institute were sourced locally.
The DG stated that when the institute succeeds in producing the battery, they will source for a private investor to market the product, reiterating that his dream is to restore the lost glory of the establishment.
According to him, “PRODA is a household name. I have a wonderful management team and it is our vision to change the narrative in the institute.
“I want people to know that PRODA is existing. Our main mandate is research. We are trying to bring transformation into the system,” he declared .
Resolved to ensure that the old narrative which had been counter productive in the agency over the years among staff is completely changed, the DG, had while addressing the agency’s workers on assumption of office, harped on the need for their reorientation.
“So, we must re-orient the mind of our staff to think towards research because we need funds to build the institute and if you cannot write good research grant, you cannot attract funding.
“We would explore all avenues to get funding apart from the one coming from the government as we will partner with other countries to achieve this,” he declared.
He therefore enjoyed the staff to convert all their petition skills into research skills stressing that, “What we need now is how to move forward and make PRODA great again and not about petition writing.”
Dr Ogbobe who lamented over the series of petition written in the part said, “Let the era of writing petition be a thing of the past as I believe that my stepping in here today would be a new beginning in the history of PRODA ,” he stated.
He also cautioned them against backbiting that can lead to crisis, saying, “Let my assumption of duty today bring an end to all the crisis in PRODA as I assure you that I will bring peace and end all war in PRODA.
“We must work together and suppprt each other. I promise to be a good leader and you should be good followers too. Don’t pull your fellow staff down; don’t destroy PRODA because it’s our home,” he urged the workers.
Prior to his well deserved appointment, Ogbobe was the director of Information Communication Technology (ICT), National Board for Technology Incubation, (NBTI).
The DG holds a Doctorate Degree in Mechatronics Engineering, a Master’s Degree in Mechanics/Production Engineering.
He is a member of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) among others.