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COVID-19: Prince Ejohwomu Commended For Role Played In Testing 150,000 PPEs For Manchester City

Published

5 years ago

May 15, 2020

Daniel Dafe

Prince (Dr) Obuks Ejohwomu

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A University of Manchester academic, Prince (Dr) Obuks Ejohwomu, has helped Manchester City Council (MCC) coordinate and test thousands of pieces Personal protection Equipment (PPE) so that they could be delivered to key workers in the city, a task for which he has been commended for by top staff of the institution.

MCC has received approximately 150,000 pieces of PPE via companies and donations from across city. But before the equipment could be distributed, the Council needed to check that it was suitable for use by key workers who needed PPE to continue to work despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

This meant testing samples of pieces equipment in an extremely short space of time so that the PPE could be delivered to those on the frontline as quickly as possible. That is when Council contacted the University and, more specifically, Dr Obuks Ejohwomu who is Director Commercial Project Management in the Faculty of Science and Engineering.

From the Council’s speculative e-mail on the evening of Easter Saturday, Dr Ejohwomu, who is a Lecturer in Project Management, was able to organise video conferences, e-mails, physical testing and a wrap-up video conference all in under eight calendar days.

Dr Ejohwomu led a team of experts from across Manchester, Coventry and Brighton Universities to achieve the rapid turnaround. The teams worked over the Easter Bank Holiday to deliver comparative tests using existing equipment and modified test rigs to help understand the 150,000 uncertified PPEs the Council had received.

Speaking about the achievement, Professor Martin Schröder, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, said: “I am delighted our Faculty was able to help the City Council and our health workers. Many congratulations and thanks to Obuks. I am so proud of the staff in the Faculty and Obuks in particular. He is a star!”

On his part, Barney Harle, Head of Major Projects at Manchester City Council, said: “I have never been prouder to work with a group of academic contacts than on this occasion. The way in which Obuks brought together a quality team of enlightened and enthusiastic fellow researchers and practitioners was outstanding.”

Meanwhile, Dr Ejohwomu noted: “The success of this project has in no small part been due to the deployment of invaluable project management knowledge that is most suitable for managing unknown unknowns at a time of disruption. This has contributed to MCC’s ability to correctly and suitably equip workers across a spectrum of roles with the masks they require.”

Dr. Ejohwomu hails from Umiaghwa Abraka Kingdom in Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria. He is a member of one of the royal families in the state and son to HRM L.E. Ejohwomu, Adakaji 1, Ovie of Abraka of blessed memory.

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