The Vice Chancellor of the Ekiti State University (EKSU) Ado-Ekiti, Professor Edward Olanipekun has revealed that the Central Bank of Nigeria has approved a N350 million grant for the institution’s poultry farming.
The VC who said the university was among the few Higher Institutions who benefitted from the scheme, said the first tranche of the fund has been paid in preparation for the full commencement of the poultry farm aimed at meeting the growing demands of eggs and chicken by people in the society.
Olanipekun spoke on Monday while addressing newsmen ahead of Wednesday and Thursday’s 27th convocation ceremony of the institution, noting that the university was determined to export from its agricultural produce and earn foreign exchange.
He said, “I am happy to report to you that we have secured a grant from the CBN to set up our poultry farm here in the university; we are one of the few institutions which benefited from the grant. It is about N350 million and the first part of the money has been paid and I can tell you that it will start in a matter of weeks.
“We are about commencing full scale agriculture and one of the things we are looking at is to export our produce to bring foreign exchange to the country and the state.”
The EKSU VC said that a total of 5963 graduands would be conferred with different degrees from the institution’s first degree (5602), postgraduate studies (207) diploma (74) and the MBBS (80) with 79 graduands bagging First class honors.
He added that a convocation lecture titled, ‘The University System in Nigeria and the Sustainability Question’ would be delivered by the former vice chancellor of the Osun state university, Professor Labode Popoola on Tuesday.
According to him, the university in the last few years has recorded remarkable feats in research, academic excellence and other areas and as well recognition from both local and international organizations, commending the state governor and visitor, Biodun Oyebanji for his commitment to the development of the university.
He said, “The university management with the support of the stakeholders have continued to pursue the process of restructuring and reengineering every facet of the university to ensure that the societal expectations and dreams of the institution’s founding fathers are met.
“ As a university , we shall continue to cultivate strategic global partners and building networks and synergies that promote our contributions to sustainable global development ; we will continue to partner with the government as well as embrace symbiotic academic linkages with top-rated institutions of learning, both locally and internationally.”
On the recent protests by the students, the VC said that the issues raised by the students were being addressed and that they would soon be recalled to the campus in batches for their examination after the salah holiday.
