Encomiums as NATT- UCB Celebrates Retired Members, Inducts UNICAL VC as Member

Torrents of encomiums came the way of 16 retired members of the National Association of Academic Technologists, University of Calabar Branch( NATT-UCB) for their diligence, commitment and hard work during their active years in service, Myschoolnews report.

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The colourful and well-attended Send-off/Award Ceremony which was laced with pomp and pageantry drew notable personalities from all walks of life including members of the University Community, seasoned academics, and labour leaders, among others.

Speaking during the event which was held at the Academic Staff Union of Universities( Asuu) Secretariat, Unical, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Florence Obi described the retirees as ' special people' and commended them for imparting knowledge to students during their active years in service.

Represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research, Linkages and Collaborations, Prof. Peter Okafor, the University helmsman said the invaluable contributions of the retirees would be etched in the annals of history, adding, "We respect the retirees for touching the lives of students and academic staff".

The Vice-Chancellor said the services rendered by technologists in the advancement of education are indispensable as they play complementary roles with the academic staff, especially in the area of teaching, research and Community service.

While commending the retirees for serving the University meritoriously, Prof. Obi urged members still in service to "up their game' and continue rendering quality service to enable the current administration to achieve its lofty goals.

This came as she urged NUPEMCO and other Pension Managers to ensure prompt payment of the retiree's retirement benefits as this will give them a sense of fulfillment.

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She further called on Pension Managers to strive hard to minimize the bureaucratic bottlenecks associated with the processing and payment of retirement benefits.

The Chairman of NATT-UCB, Comrade Alexander Oko, in his welcome address, said the event marked another milestone for the retirees, in recognition of their selfless services to the institution.

Comrade Oko described the retirees as a very important stakeholder group which signifies the success of well-spent years of knowledge transfer, adding that, " I cannot believe the time has come that we have to say goodbye.

" It won't be the same without you here, with your high level of experience, and it's been an absolute pleasure to work with you all these years.

" It's a time of leisure; goodbye to tension and here comes the pension".

The NATT-UCB Chairman urged colleagues still in service to learn, put into practice and continue the legacies the retirees have left behind in their various departments.

This is even as he applauded the Vice Chancellor for providing a thriving ground and an enabling environment for the NATT members.

The Union leader also thanked the Vice Chancellor for paying NATT's protective Wear Allowances which has enabled serving and retired members to still be in an agile and proper health condition.

The Chairman of the Non-teaching Staff Union of Nigerian Universities( NASUU), Unical Branch, Comrade Victoria Orok, in a solidarity message, commended NATT for recognizing and honouring retired members, saying it shows they have the interest and welfare of their members at heart.

The NASUU-UCB Chairman who was represented by Comrade Austin Odama called for unity among varsity unions to achieve a common goal.

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In the same vein, Comrade John Edor, a representative of the Unical Branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities( ASUU), in his solidarity message, described the event as ' symbolic' and commended the retirees for the selfless services they rendered to the institution.

He charged NATT to continue synergizing with other University-based unions in their fight to improve welfare packages for their members, adding that, ' what affects one affects all'.

One of the retirees, Comrade (Dede) Ezekiel Ekpenyong Okorie, who spoke on behalf of other retirees thanked the NATT-UCB leadership for deeming it fit to honour them and prayed to God to continue granting them wisdom to steer the ship of the union.

The Send-off/ Award Ceremony featured the cutting of a retirement cake and the presentation of a welfare package/ Award to retirees.

The high points of the occasion were the induction of the Vice Chancellor as an associate member of NATT, the donation of 15 copies of NATT Journals to the University Library and a presentation on: " Preparation for Retirement and Life after Retirement" by NUPEMCO.