To dev. agric, CARDS gets support from Gov. Sule
|By Yahaya Ahmed
The Governor of Nasarawa State Engineer Abdullahi A. A. Sule, has expressed his readiness to support the Federal University of Lafia (FULafia) Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development Studies (CARDS) to maximise agricultural productivity in the state.
The governor stated this at the occasion of presentation of FULafia CARDS’s Blueprint in Adamu Adamu Offices and Lectures Complex of the University.
Sule, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, Mr. Naphtali Jarumi Dachar, said that the centre came when the state was need of agricultural transformation.
He said: Looking at the enormous challenges agriculture face in the state, the government is ever ready to do everything possible to see that CARDS stand on its feet so that our farmers will have good and quality products.”
While thanking the vice-chancellor for his foresight to initiate the centre, Sule called on stakeholders to collaborate with the centre to achieve its objectives.
On his part, the Chairman, Committee on Agriculture, Nasarawa State House of Assembly Hon. Dr. Ibrahim Peter Akwe, appreciated the giant stride of the vice-chancellor in promoting agriculture in the state.
While lamenting Nigeria’s dependence on oil as its major source of income, Ibrahim pointed out that “if CARDS is sustained, it will create employment opportunities for the youths as well as improve quality of products in our state.
He assured the management of FULafia and CARDS that his committee would work with the National Assembly for the sustainability of the centre.
The Provost, College of Agriculture, Science and Technology (CAST), Lafia, Dr. Musa Yahaya Maikafi, said the establishment of CARDS was timely and welcomed, adding that CAST would benefit from the services that would be provided by CARDS.
While calling on the state government to support the centre, he appealed to CARDS to focus on changing the attitude of the farmers and make outcomes of its research available to them.
Some stakeholders at the event such as Central Bank of Nigeria, Dangote Sugar, NIRSAL MFB, NDE, NADP, OLAM all promised to collaborate with the centre for its sustainability.
