As part of the current administration’s resolve to promote productivity and enhance efficiency, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kolawole Salako has handed over some state-of-the-art mechanized farming equipment to relevant Units and College in the University.
The equipment include a Mobile Seed Processing Unit, Boom sprayers, Fertilizer spreaders, Rigger, Harrows, Plough, Cassava Harvester and a Crane Loader which were handed over to the College of Plant Science and Crop Production (COLPLANT), Directorate of University Farms (DUFARMS) and the Community Based Farming Scheme (COBFAS).
In his remarks, Vice Chancellor revealed that the Mobile Seed Processing Unit equipment was acquired with the support of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.
According to him, “being under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, this is one of the good things we are enjoying in terms of capital fund and we have dedicated money to the purchase of this Mobile Seed Processing Unit due to the request from the Department of Plant Breeding and Seed Technology. I am only hoping we use all these things efficiently and effectively”.
Professor Salako who directed that the equipment should be put to use as soon as possible revealed that experts will be contacted to assemble the equipment for use.
Handing over the equipment to the Dean, COLPLANT, Professor Mufutau Atayese, the Vice-Chancellor said, “COLPLANT would oversee the equipment and also be ready to make it available to those who need it without compromising on security”.
The Vice-Chancellor also handed over Boom sprayers, Fertilizer spreaders, Rigger, Harrows, Plough and Cassava Harvester to the Director, DUFARMS, Mr. Joseph Olobashola and Director, COBFAS, Prof. Sunday Adigbo with a charge that the equipment be put to good use.
Responding, the Dean COLPLANT, Professor Atayese thanked the University Management for the support in acquiring all the equipment, adding that “on behalf of the Department we assure the Vice-Chancellor and Management that it will be used effectively and not misused. Also, its mobile and we will look at the probability of making some money with the permission of the Management because we may have people who need it from outside the system, so we can hire it out”.
In a similar vein, the Vice-Chancellor showcased an executive bus recently acquired through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) 2017 Special Intervention fund, adding that the bus will be strictly for official trips by staff and students with the permission the Management.
Professor Salako also hinted that the University took delivery of four vehicles that were donated by the contractor in charge of the dam. He added that they were not new but functional.
