Re: Moving Agric varsities to Agric Ministry
The Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has noted, with interest, the editorial comments of Daily Trust newspapers of August 15, 2017 entitled, “Moving Agric varsities to Agric Ministry”, which erroneously made a strong case for the retention of the federal universities of agriculture under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education.
It is important to know that the concerns of Daily Trust newspapers on the universities of agriculture needed to have been placed in the right context before the publication. The newspaper missed the point about the transfer of the universities from historical, legal and strategic policy perspectives.
The universities of agriculture were never, at any time, either placed under or transferred to the Federal Ministry of Education as Daily Trust would have the public believe. Historically, the universities were originally founded and placed under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. This was backed by a law that still subsists today. It was in response to Nigeria’s strategic need for specialised institutions for agriculture that the three universities were established.
There are antecedents in many places all over the world: in Asia, Europe and the Americas. In India alone, no fewer than 60 universities are dedicated to agriculture. In Brazil, the number is in double digits. In the US, there are land grant universities mainly committed to agriculture, and especially the Texas A&M University or Florida A&M University (Agricultural & Mechanical) that are wholly devoted to agriculture and related courses.
The movement of the Federal Universities of Agriculture (FUAs) back to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development can rightly be described as the homecoming of a wanderer that earlier strayed away from home. The Daily Trust, in the editorial piece, asserted that: “Their placement under the Education Ministry’s supervision all these years could not have hampered the development of the country’s agricultural sector or the realization of the institutions’ mandate.”
This statement lacked validity in content and background. Daily Trust editorial team ought to have done a thorough fact-finding and homework before making such a statement, made worse by another assertion, that “their transfer to FMARD isn’t the best solution.”
The call “for the suspension of further action on the transfer of the three FUAs to FMARD and the suggestion that “the status-quo should be maintained” is not appropriate. First, Daily Trust editorial team needs to read through the law setting up the three universities which was unequivocal about who controls them. I recommend that the team read through the statute and pay particular attention to Section 15 (1) and (2).
According to 15. (1) The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall have responsibility for agricultural education in the University similar to the responsibility of the Federal Ministry of Education in general universities.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of the National Universities Commissions Act, the University shall receive funds directly from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and from other national and international agencies.
To explain a little further, Daily Trust editorial team needs to pay attention to the sections below and their content:
16. The Agricultural Universities Co-ordination Agency established in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall have the responsibility for monitoring and co-ordinating the academic and physical development of the Universities of Agriculture.
Dr. Olukayode Oyeleye is Adviser, Media & Communication Office of the Minister