Alhaji Muhammad Sabo Nanono, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development has disclosed that the proposed Federal University of Agriculture, Zuru, Kebbi State would commence its academic activities in September 2020.
Nanono who made this known on Tuesday in Abuja while inaugurating the Interim management committee for the institution, noted that the University would ensure the introduction of new, flexible and locally relevant programmes towards strengthening the link between Agriculture and entrepreneurship in the country.
The Minister said the establishment of the university is a great addition to the fortunes of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as it will tremendously add to the national capacity in agriculture and food security.
He said the Interim Management Committee was constituted to facilitate the operational commencement of the institution.
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Nanono also pointed out that the committee is not to be regarded as a governing board, instead an ad-hoc structure that is expected to work with the Interim Vice Chancellor to provide good governance on one hand and effectively implement projects and programmes on the other hand for the smooth take-off of the university pending the appointment of the Governing Board, the Minister added.
He, however, tasked the management of the University to harness the talents of the highly experienced individuals selected to serve in this committee for maximum impact for the benefit of the institution and the Nation.
The Minister enjoined the committee to lay a solid foundation for the emergence of a unique university that will develop the intellectual capability and skills towards the production of qualitative, entrepreneurial and self- reliant graduates thereby reducing the level of unemployment among graduates.
He further urged them to work with Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission, Kebbi State Government, the local community as well as other principal stakeholders in actualizing the smooth take-off of the University
“Develop a practicable and acceptable academic brief in line with the aspiration of the Present Administration of job creation for the teeming Nigerians youths by entrenching entrepreneurship training as a precondition for graduation from the University, among others”, he said.
While responding on behalf of the Interim Committee, the Interim Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Bello Zaki Abubakar, pledged that the committee is committed to the task ahead and would deliver on its mandate.
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