Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
The Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, has, as part of its contribution to combating the COVID-19 pandemic, manufactured pedal-operated hand washing and sanitiser machines to be donated to the state government.
The Polytechnic’s Department of Mechanical Engineering as well as the Olusegun Obasanjo Centre
for Engineering Innovation fabricated the engines
The fabrication of the pedal-operated hand washing and sanitiser machines follows the earlier production of face masks, liquid detergent and hand sanitsiers by the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development and the School of Science and Computer Studies at the institution.
Speaking at the commissioning of the hands-free and pedal-operated equipment at the weekend, the Rector, Dr Dayo Oladebeye, commended the efforts of the Department of Mechanical Engineering on their initiative to minimize the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also applauded the functionality of the machine saying that ‘it is efficient to use and it is smooth, without any friction.’
Oladebeye noted that ‘aside from the products churned out so far, the polytechnic has other initiatives that he believed should attract patronages across the country, while the Polytechnic was already making contacts to present the pedal-operated handwashing and sanitizing machine to the Ekiti State government.
‘The presentation was with a view to seeking their interest and support to produce more of the machines for use across Ekiti State or beyond.’
The Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dr Abayomi Olorunishola, who demonstrated how the machine operates said, the department came up with the idea of the machines in order to provide a solution in managing the ongoing pandemic.
The Dean of the School of Engineering, Dr Emmanuel Adeosun, while presenting three sets of the machine, explained that the beauty of the machine is in the fact that users need not touch the machine with their hands before applying soap, washing and sanitizing their hands.
The Director of the Olusegun Obasanjo Centre for Engineering Innovation in the Polytechnic,
Dr Israel Aluko, on his part, said the idea of fabricating the machine was conceived with a view to secure an order for mass production to prevent people from contracting any virus.