President Muhammadu Buhari has called on Universities to take advantage of the Federal Government’s interventions to boost research activities.
Buhari made the call on Saturday during the 5th and 6th combined convocation of the Federal University Dutsin-Ma (FUDMA).
Buhari, represented by Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, the Minister of State for Education, said such research activities are aimed to produce the manpower required to bring about the development of the country’s economy.
He also urged them to explore the opportunities provided by the Federal Government in the area of economic diversification agenda.
Buhari said that the opportunities are designed to wean the country from over dependence on oil in order to achieve sustainable economic development.
He restated government’s commitment to tackle the challenges of sustainable living, funding for research and capacity building as well as job creation.
“There is need for FUDMA to take advantage of the agrarian environment of Katsina State by liaising with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Water Resources to promote dry-season farming.
”This will provide employment opportunities and other economic benefits,” he said.
Buhari also restated the commitment of the Federal Government to sustain funding of university education in the country.
He also expressed the belief that the graduates are adequately prepared to contribute their quota to national development in their various areas of endeavors.
Buhari, therefore, charged the graduates to apply their knowledge and skills to create jobs and undertake activities that would add value to Nigeria’s Economy and promote national development.
Earlier in his address, the Chancellor of the University, King Jaja of Opobo, Mr. Dandeson Douglas-Jaja, urged the graduates to be good ambassadors of the country wherever they found themselves.
He advised them to take advantage of the Federal Government’s huge opportunities to become self-employed and employers of labour, rather than chasing white collar jobs which are not available.
In his speech, FUDMA’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Armaya’u Hamisu-Bichi, said the graduates are 90 for Masters/Post Graduates degrees and 1,201 for Bachelor’s degrees.
He said that the university had offered automatic employment to the the only PHD graduate among them.
During the convocation ceremony, the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmuminu Kabir-Usman, and the King Jaja of Opobo were conferred with the honorary Doctorate degrees.