Zamfara, ABU partner on agriculture, human capacity development

The Sun

Ahmadu Bello University has proposed a unified, evidence-based, and fully integrated intervention to address agricultural and human capacity development in Zamfara State.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adamu Ahmed, presented the blueprint to His Excellency, Dr Dauda Lawal, the Executive Governor of Zamfara State.

Prof Ahmed made the presentation when the governor came to the university to commission an upgraded departmental library at the institution’s Department of Political Science and International Studies.

The governor, who is an alumnus of the university having graduated from the Department of Political Science and International Studies in 1988, refurbished the library.

Presenting the proposal to the governor, the Vice-Chancellor said the university developed the blueprint through its three leading agricultural research institutes – IAR, NAPRI, and NAERLS – as well as the Institute of Education and Institute of Administration.

The Vice-Chancellor, who acknowledged the effort of the governor in prioritising merit-based reforms in the state, explained that the proposal was at no cost to Zamfara State government.

The interventions, according to him, would be run as capacity building in the mode of train-the-trainers and delivered largely via the virtual mode through the facilities of ABU Distance Learning Centre.

He also said it was to train extension agents in modernised extension delivery systems, build institutional capacity of ministries, ADP, cooperatives, civil service, teacher service and communities.

The Vice-Chancellor commended Governor Dauda Lawal for his administration’s decision to appoint permanent secretaries through rigorous examination processes rather than political favouritism.

Ahmed also lauded Governor Dauda Lawal’s government for prioritising capacity-building programmes, conducting training sessions for procurement staff, audit officers, and administrative leaders.

Receiving the document, Dr Dauda Lawal, the Executive Governor of Zamfara, expressed his government’s immense gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor and the university management for the passion to help transform the state.

Governor Dauda Lawal, who said he would remain grateful to Ahmadu Bello University for shaping his life, promised to continue to give back to his alma mater.