News in brief:
– Governor Aiyedatiwa converts Rufus Giwa Polytechnic into a University of Agriculture to boost food security and agribusiness.
– Ondo State signs a ₦15 billion MoU for a youth-focused agricultural programme, fostering hands-on training and investment.
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has approved the conversion of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, into a University of Agriculture and Agribusiness. This move is part of his administration’s broader plan to boost agricultural development and food security in the state.
The decision follows a review of an earlier proposal by the previous administration, which had planned to upgrade the institution to a University of Management Science and Technology. However, Aiyedatiwa’s government opted for a model that aligned with its agricultural revolution initiative.
According to a statement released on Wednesday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, a special committee will be constituted to handle the transition process and ensure a seamless implementation.
“The government will set up a committee to work out the modalities for the implementation of the conversion,” Aiyedatiwa assured, emphasising that students and staff of the institution will not be negatively impacted by the transition.
₦15bn MoU for youth-focused agricultural programme
In a related development, Governor Aiyedatiwa has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a private investor for a ₦15 billion investment in a youth-driven agricultural initiative. The programme, known as the Young Ranchers Programme, aims to provide hands-on farming experience and agribusiness training for young people and students of agriculture.
The agreement, signed between the Ondo State Government and AgroMall Discovery and Extension Limited, will establish agricultural clusters across the state’s three senatorial districts. Each cluster will cover five hectares of farmland and be anchored by state-owned higher institutions, including the newly upgraded Rufus Giwa University.
“Besides the training of students, each of the three institutions hosting the initiative will also receive a share of the proceeds from agricultural operations,” the statement added.
MoU for ICT System to boost state revenue
Furthermore, Aiyedatiwa has approved another MoU with BBA Consult to develop a secure ICT system aimed at improving state resource planning and revenue generation. The agreement, structured on a build-operate-transfer model, is designed to reform the state’s internally generated revenue framework.
Meanwhile, the First Deputy President of the Odua Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ODUACCIMA), Otunba Olumide Araoyinbo, has lauded Governor Aiyedatiwa’s efforts. Congratulating him on his inauguration as the seventh democratically elected governor of Ondo State, Araoyinbo, a former Majority Leader of the Ondo State House of Assembly, described the governor’s initiatives as a bold step towards transforming the state.
He noted that Aiyedatiwa had demonstrated a clear vision for economic growth, particularly in agriculture, and expressed optimism that the new university and agricultural investment would drive prosperity in the state.
