The Division of Agricultural Colleges (DAC), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) on Saturday held its joint convocation ceremony of the college with 38 graduating students bagging distinction.
The three National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) awarding colleges under the division are: Samaru College of Agriculture, Zaria, College of Agriculture and Animal Science, Mando, Kaduna and Kabba College of Agriculture, Kogi State.
Addressing the convocation ceremony which held at the College of Agriculture and Animal Science, Mando, Kaduna, the Vice Chancellor ABU, Professor Ibrahim Garba who declared the convocation ceremony opened, said the 1, 165 graduands were made up of 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 academic sessions with 38 distinction, 354 upper credit, 473 lower credit and 300 pass.
The Vice Chancellor tasked the graduands to be good ambassadors of the Division and Ahmadu Bello University at all times as well as the larger society.
Director of the division, Prof. Najume Ibrahim Giginya, who identified late release of funds as the institution’s major challenge, called for remarkable improvement on the releases and upward review of funding for running of academic, non academic and other programmes of the institution.
Giginya said the funding of the institution was mainly from federal budgetary appropriation, especially personnel, capital and overhead of the division.
He further stated that the division was still following up on re-engagement of its colleges and other monotechnics into the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund ) grant.
The Director urged the National Assembly to fast track approval for re-engagement of the monotechnics to be among the beneficiaries of the fund.
He explained that efforts are being made in the Division to address evolving needs of its colleges through introduction of new programmes and collaborations in line with the national agricultural extension services and its value addition to farmers.
(Blueprint)
