BY
SHERIFF BALOGUN,
President Goodluck Jona-than yesterday disclosed that
the federal government was planning to create about 3.5million jobs in the
agricultural sector by 2015, saying the government is putting an initiative in
place to enable the existing Universities of Agriculture in the country to
establish Departments of Transfer and Acquisition.
Speaking at the
20th convocation ceremony of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta
(FUNAAB), the president said by this initiative, they would facilitate the
development of appropriate technologies for eventual transfer to the farming
communities in the country.
Minister of
Education, Mrs Rukkayatu Rufai, who represented Jonathan said "the federal
government is putting an initiative in place to enable the three existing
Universities of Agriculture in the country establish Departments of Technology
Transfer and Acquisition as part of the curricula in their respective
institutions." She added, "when established, they would be expected
to facilitate the development of appropriate technologies for eventual transfer
to our farming communities which account for about 85 percent of the nation's
population.
"We have
already put in place mechanisms to ensure that each state focuses on crops,
fisheries and livestock of comparative advantage. In addition, government plans
to expand incentives for farmers and the private sector as we expect to create
3.5million jobs in the agricultural sector alone by 2015.
"I do expect
our university management and faculties to embark on innovative and creative
means of complemeting government's funding efforts. This is the only way that
we can effectively enhance the quality of university education in Nigeria and
meaningfully tackle the challenge of the poor international ranking of our
universities."
Jonathan, urged
the 1, 355 graduating students to be good ambassadors of the institution while
advising them to restore agriculture to its pride of place.
The 20th
convocation ceremony of the institution had prominent Nigerians in attendance,
including World Bank Vice-President for Africa, Mrs. Obiageli Ezekwesili,
Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, and a business mogul, Chief
Jonathan Olopade, who were conferred with Doctorate Degree (Honoris Causa) in
Science, Agriculture and Engineering respectively as well as the former
President, Olusegun Obasanjo.
Courtesy Allafrica
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