Umar Buba Bindir (Born 11 August, 1961) is a Nigerian Agricultural engineer and incumbent Director-General of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP)^[1][2]

Life and career

He was born on 11, August 1961 in Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria. He obtained a Bachelor of science (B.sc) degree in Agricultural Technology from the University of Maiduguri in 1983 with a first class honours and had the National Youth Service Corps (1983-1984) in Benue State^[3]. He later obtained a Master of science (M.sc) degree in Agricultural machinery engineering (1987) and a Doctorate degree, P.hD in Agricultural machinery design (1991) from the prestigious Cranfield University, United Kingdom^[4]. He joined the services of University of Maiduguri in 1985 as Graduate Assistant. He left the university in 1986 to joined the services of Grain Harvesting and Drying systems, Offley Little Farm, Herts, United Kingdom as manager^[5]. In 1991, he joined the academic teaching staff of Papua New Guinea University of Technology where he later became Head of Agricultural Engineering Department, a position he held from 1992 to 1998^[6].

Official duties

He was appointed as Chief Executive Director, Appropriate Technology and Community Development Institute, PNG, North Australia in 1998.^[7] He later became Director of Operations, Family Economic Advancement Programme (FEAP) Federal Capital Territory Abuja (1998-2000), Director of Sports, Federal Ministry of Sports and Social Development (2005-2006), Director of Technology Acquisition and Assessment, (2006-2009), Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) (2009 - till date)^[8]. He also served in the Presidential Committees (1999-2010).

Works

• Designed and manufactured a once-over groundnut combine harvester for Nigerian conditions^[9]
• Designed of an animal gears system for processing agricultural commodities in rural area
• Designed of a Hydraulic Ram Pump for hilly areas-a pump that requires no external source of power
• Designed, manufactured and development of solar water destilination plant for rural areas of the Pacific
• Designed, manufactured and development of a vegetable storage system for rural areas
• Designed of a 16-bird slaughtering kit for small scale poultry processors and producers of ruminants

Awards

He is a receiver of several awards, few of which includes:

• Federal Ministry of Science & Technology Outstanding Performance Award, (2009)
• Award of Patron of Sport in Public Service, FEPSGA (2007)
• Tremendous Contributor Award by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) (2009)
• Distinguished Merit Award of Excellence for Professional Practice, NIAE (2008)
• Responsive Leadership Award for Excellence, (2009)
• Distinguished Speaker Award by the Association of Consulting Engineers Nigeria (2010)
• 5th College of Food Society Merit Award, (2010)
• African Information Society Merit Award, (2010)
• Distinguished Guest Speaker Award by the African University of Science and Technology, (2010)
• Most Innovative Paper presentation Award by the Nigeria Computer Society, Lagos State Chapter, (2011)

Membership

• Member of Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN)
• Member of the Institution of Agricultural Engineers (MASE)
• Member of the Nigeria Institute of Management (MNIM)
• Fellow of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (FNSE)
• Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Agricultural Engineers (FNSAE).