The Nation Newspaper

Tag: University of Agriculture

  • Subsistence agriculture imperative to food security, says Don

     A don, Prof. Simon Irtwange, says subsistence farming or rural household agriculture development will assist to achieve food security in the country.

    Irtwange, who is a lecturer in the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, University of Agriculture, Markurdi, made the assertion in an interview  in Lagos on Friday.

    Subsistence agriculture is a self-sufficiency farming system in which the farmers focus on growing enough food to feed themselves and their entire families.

    The output is mostly for local requirements with little or no surplus trade.

    According to Irtwange,  government must work towards raising agricultural productivity of the rural households to achieve food security.

    Read Also: Adams, others for food security conference

    “Lifting rural households income must be at the centre of the focus to end poverty and hunger.

    “Agriculture accounts for 75 per cent of the nation’s population and more than half live in rural areas.

    “Efforts to eradicate poverty and increase agricultural productivity will also foster development of the rural sector and encourage industrialisation.

    “Higher levels of productivity in agriculture will also free-up the labour market,” he said.

    Irtwange said that efforts should be made to accelerate agriculture development and promote farming businesses.

    He said that the surplus labour as a result of renewed activities in the agriculture sector would be accommodated.

    Irtwange said that it would also go a long way in reducing the high youth unemployment in the country.

    NAN

  • NUGA not satisfied with facilities at UAM – President

    NUGA not satisfied with facilities at UAM – President

    Prof. Stephen Hamafyelto, President, Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA), says the body is not satisfied with facilities at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (UAM) though it is staging the Games there.

    Hamafyelto, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Makurdi that the association had to postpone the Games preliminaries and shift the Games several times to allow UAM to fix its facilities.

    He said association had been in Makurdi several times, including its last visit in February to ensure that facilities were ready for the Games.

    The NUGA president disclosed that the choice of alternative venues with better facilities within Makurdi was to protect the integrity of the competition.

    “When it became obvious that no other institutions will take up the hosting of the Games, the options available to us were either to stage them at the National Stadium, Abuja, or further postpone them.

    “If we had opted for postponement to get adequate facilities, they wouldn’t be held even in 2019.

    “That is why swimming is holding at the National Stadium Abuja, because the swimming pool here will gulp about N200 million to be ready for use.

    “It was at that stage that we decided to go into the town to source for alternative venues with better facilities for the Games,’’ Hamafyelto told NAN.

    NAN reports that the Games are holding in Vaatia College, Makurdi Club, Aper Aku Stadium, Mount Saint Gabriel’s Secondary School and the Sports Complex of UAM.

    He therefore, advised coaches, heads of university contingent and athletes to manage available facilities for the success of the Games.

    “I know that they are supposed to lay tartan tracks for athletics but we will make do with what we have to select athletes that will represent us at the World University Games later in China.

    “Any athlete that can win running on sand will excel competing on tartan tracks.’’

    However, the Vice-Chancellor of UAM, Prof. Emmanuel Kucha, in an earlier interview with NAN had said the university’s facilities were okay for the Games.

    He disclosed that the institution invested about N500 million on facilities, explaining that some were “built from scratch while others were upgraded’’.

    Also corroborating Kucha’s views, the institutions Director of Sports, Mr Stephen Awen, took exception to allegations of inadequate facilities, saying NUGA had certified them in a pre-Games inspection visit to the school.

     

  • Oke-Ogun backs Buhari on proposal for university of agriculture

    The people of Oke ogun, Oyo State, have called on the federal government to positively consider the proposal for the establishment of Federal University of Agriculture and Technology, Oke Ogun, by Senator Fatai Buhari.
    In a statement issued by Oke ogun Council of Elders (OCE) and signed by the spokesman of the organisation, Mr Jare Ajayi, the people said that enacting the law and implementing it promptly will be of immense benefit to Oke ogun, to Oyo State and to Nigeria in general.
    While commending the sponsor of the bill, the OCE stated that by moving the bill for the establishment of Federal University of Agriculture and Technology, Oke Ogun and Federal Polytechnic, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Sen. Buhari has again demonstrated that he is a true representative of the people.
    Buhari is the senator representing Oyo North Senatorial District in the upper chamber of the National Assembly. Ten local government areas in Oke ogun and three local government areas in Ogbomoso area make up the said senatorial district.
    Buhari had, on Tuesday,  moved a motion for the establishment of Federal University of Agriculture and Technology, Oke Ogun and Federal Polytechnic, Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
    “As clearly stated by our Senator, there is no federal institution of any type in Oke ogun. Establishing a University in the area will therefore be a way of redressing an agelong neglect of Oke ogun.”
    That the proposed University is going to specialize in agriculture makes it more fitting because of the agrarian nature of Oke ogun and the adeptness of the people in this occupation. We commend Senator Abdulfatai Buhari for this well thought-out initiative and urge the National Assembly as a whole to pass the bill without further delay” the statement read.

  • University dropout remanded over alleged kidnapping in Kogi

    A 31-year-old university dropout, Dick Onuku, who allegedly kidnapped one Makama Adamu, and collected 12 million from his family, is to remain in prison pending the determination of his case.

    A Chief Magistrate, Mr. Levi Animoku, gave the order in Lokoja after rejecting the suspect’s bail application.

    He described the crime as heinous, and declared that kidnapping was “one of the horrifying social vices prevalent in the society, especially Kogi”.

    “It has often led to deaths of innocent Nigerian citizens,’’ he stressed.

    He said that the presumption of innocence, as argued by G.O. Adih, counsel to the accused, was not absolute.

    “The offence carries high penalty and the propensity to elope justice is high.

    “Therefore, bail is refused. The accused shall be remanded at the Federal Prisons, Koton-Karfe,’’ he stated.

    Animoku adjourned the case to April 4, for mention.

    Earlier, the prosecutor, Mohammed Abaji, in his objection to the bail application, had urged the court to take cognizance of the severe nature of the case.

    He said that the accused, in the company of others, now at large, while armed with dangerous weapons, including guns and cutlasses, kidnapped Adamu, a resident of Otukpo road, at Opulega in Ankpa Local Government of Kogi.

    He said that the accused, who gave his address as Theo Plaza, Duste Alaji, FCT, Abuja committed the offence on February 13.

    Abaji said that Onuku and his gang forcefully abducted Adamu, blindfolded and took him to an unknown destination from where they put a phone call to the family, demanding N12 million as ransom.

    “Investigation led to the arrest of the accused, who made a confessional statement on how the operation was planned, executed and how the ransom of N12 million was shared among the members,’’ the prosecutor said.

    Abaji told the court that the accused was a student of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, but was later withdrawn.

    He said that the offence contravened Section 97(1), 305 of the Penal Code and 4(3) of the Kogi State Kidnapping and Other Related Offences (Prohibition) Law, 2015.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty, while his counsel, Adih, applied for his bail pursuant to the provisions of Section 36(5) of the Constitution and 341(2 and 3) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).

    Under Kogi State laws, kidnapping attracts life imprisonment on conviction.

     

  • Michael Okpara varsity matriculates 5,615 students

    Michael Okpara varsity matriculates 5,615 students

    The Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike in Abia, on Friday matriculated 5,615 students for various academic programmes, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Francis Otunta, has said.

    Otunta, who said this at the 24th matriculation of the university, noted that the figure covered the university’s quota of 4,300 plus a 30 per cent attrition value decided by the Senate.

    He expressed delight that in spite of the closure of some departments in the university by the National Universities Commission, they were able to meet the quota allotted to the institution.

    He said that it was also gratifying that the university’s admission process was adjudged as one devoid of racketeering and other unwholesome practices.
    The vice chancellor said that the institution was rapidly evolving as a Centre of excellence, where training, research and community service were pursued to achieve national development goals.

    He urged the new students to abide by the rules and guidelines spelt by the university to promote orderly conduct and peaceful co-existence within the community.

    He said that although the university provided a lot of freedom, the students were presumed to be adults capable of self-control and ability to take decisions independently.

    “However, this freedom is exercised within the ambit of the regulations governing the university. I call on the new students to shun anti-social behaviour, like, examination malpractices and cultism.

    “This university has zero tolerance for cultism and will never condone examination malpractices.

    “Cultism is a social menace that has eaten deep into the fabrics of the society and serve as a breeding ground for criminal elements in society.

    “Shun cultism, our university has no space, no place and no tolerance for cultists in its entirety,” he said.

    He warned against indecent dressing by students, saying that measures have been initiated to enforce the institution’s dress code.

    Otunta said that the university was also taking steps to check prostitution among the female students, tagged.

    “The unwholesome act of prostitution is usually indulged-in either for pecuniary interest or to hoodwink the lecturers into awarding undeserved marks to students,” he said. (NAN)
    USO/OIF/OFN

  • Fed Govt reverts varsity to college

    THE Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Prof. Emmanuel Kucha, has said that federal government has reverted the Federal University of Health Sciences approved by immediate past administration in Otukpo, Benue State to a college of medicine at the University of Agriculture, Makurdi (UAM).

    Former president Goodluck Jonathan had approved the University of Sciences in Otukpo along with the upgrade of four Colleges of Education on the eve of his exit.

    Prior to the approval, UAM was earlier granted the license to run the college of medicine with its teaching hospital located in Otukpo.

    But the VC explained that Federal Government had reversed the previous administration’s decision to upgrade it to a university of Health Sciences independent of UAM.

    Kucha however said that the take off of the college has been put on hold pending the availability of funds.

    “As of now we are sourcing for funds to develop the college of medicine”, he said.

    To increase internally-generated revenue to meet the challenges in the institution, the Vice Chancellor said the university has expanded its crop farming of rice, corns, soya beans and other farm produce, and also established table water project which he said has improved the institution’s revenue.