The Vice Chancellor, Kwara State University, Professor Muhammed Mustapaha Akanbi SAN has revealed plans by the institution to establish a vast cattle ranch in Ilesha Baruba, Baruten Local Government Area of the state.
He stated this on Thursday (August 6, 2020) while featuring on “Newskeg”, a programme of the Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kwara State chapter, in Ilorin.
According to him, the initiative is part of efforts by the University to ensure food sufficiency not only in the state but in Nigeria as a whole.
The Vice Chancellor, who noted that Ilesha-Baruba provides conducive ecological environment for fine breed of cows, added that the town has the largest collection of cattle in West Africa.
The learned silk further said that the University would partner with big players in the agricultural sector to boost productivity of cash crops in the country and expand KWASU Internally Generated Revenue.
He assured that the University would offer expertise to people who are ready to go into farming, stressing that agriculture is a potent alternative to oil wealth in Nigeria.
Professor Akanbi also restated his commitment to the financial sustainability of University, adding that the institution has entered into Private-Public-Partnership with investors in various economic viable areas to make KWASU financially bouyant despite challenges.
On the core mandate of KWASU which brothers on Community Development, the Vice Chancellor revealed that a community driven project would be introduced where a set of students would go on outreach to rural areas to identify their peculiar problems with a view to providing solutions within their scope of capacity.
Speaking on the outbreak of Covid-19 and it’s attendant challenges on ocio economic development as well as educational system, the KWASU boss said his institution had made arrangements for adequate precautionary measures against covid-19 anytime government gives directive on school resumption.
According to him, ‘though Covid-19 appears to be a serious obstacle to us in the running of the University, it affords me the ample opportunity critically study the terrain and make some practical steps needed to move the institution to an enviable standard.
Professor Akanbi however commended his predecessors, the Pioneer Vice Chancellor of KWASU, Professor Abdulrasheed Na’Allah and the immediate past Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Sakah Mahmoud, for the assemblage of competent and commited staff which has really helped in laying a solid foundation for the institution and he pledged to consolidate on the good legacy he met on ground in order to move the institution to greater heights.
End
