From Fred Itua, Abuja
President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, yesterday, called for the recruitment of more teachers into primary and secondary schools in the country, to help in raising the bar of education.
Saraki spoke when he declared open a one-day public hearing on the Federal University of Agriculture, Kabba, Bill.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Education, Jibril Barau, corroborated Saraki’s position when he said the establishment of the Federal University of Agriculture in Kabba, Kogi State, would help government’s quest to diversify the economy.
The College of Agriculture, Kabba, is a subsidiary of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. It has been in existence since the days of the late Saudana of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, and has since remained a College of Education.
The bill for the establishment of the Federal University of Agriculture, Kabba, sponsored by Senator Dino Melaye, is expected to provide the legislative framework for the transition of the institution to a full-fledged university.
Barau said: “As this administration has hammered so much on the diversification of the economy into agriculture, it is important that we have more institutions purely established for agriculture, as this will help the ‘Back To Land’ policy of the Federal Government.
“When upgraded to university status, the institution would provide the holistic development of agricultural education, knowledge and skills that would help take the country into accelerated agricultural growth, enhance annual income and generate employment in the agricultural sector.”