News in Brief:
– Nigeria’s House of Representatives is considering establishing new agricultural universities and colleges across the country.
– Public hearings will be held to discuss proposals for institutions in several states, with a focus on strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
The House of Representatives Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions in Nigeria is seeking public input on proposals to establish new federal universities and colleges dedicated to agriculture. A public hearing will be held to gather feedback on these initiatives.
The move comes amidst growing recognition of agriculture’s vital role in driving national economic growth. Representative Philip Agbese, a proponent of one such new universities in Delta State, highlighted this shift in focus.
He emphatically declared that oil can no longer sustain Nigerians and that the focus should be on establishing world-class learning institutions for agriculture.
Meantime, the proposed institutions include the Federal University of Agriculture in Ute-Okpu, Delta State, and its counterpart in Fiditi, Oyo State. Enugu State is also in line for a new agricultural university in Ako, Nike. Several colleges are also on the table, including the Federal College of Agriculture proposed for Ise, Ekiti State.
Overall, the public hearing will provide a platform for stakeholders to voice their opinions on the proposed institutions and their potential impact on Nigerian agriculture. This has become pertinent especially in recent times, as the country seeks to diversify its revenue generating ventures, with less emphasis on fossil fuels, due to climate concerns.
