By Laraba MUREY
The Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, Dr. Abubakar Adamu Dabban, has assured staff of marine institutes and colleges that fresh funding support is on the way.
In a statement by the Head of Public Relations at ARCN, Khadijat Ameen, Dabban gave the assurance during an oversight visit to the National Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research in Lagos.
He said President Bola Tinubu’s administration was committed to improving the welfare of researchers and strengthening the capacity of institutions under the council.
According to him, discussions were ongoing with the Head of Service, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and the Nigerian Agricultural Development Fund to resolve lingering issues of staff welfare and access to funds.
“This is a new dawn and we will change the narrative. We want to have associate professors in the research circle. We need your support to change the nomenclature,” Dabban said.
At the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology, Lagos, the ARCN boss commended management for expanding student enrolment and upgrading facilities. He also assured that the council would support the college in securing more funding.
The statement added that Dabban revealed talks with TETFund were already yielding results, saying a memorandum of understanding would soon be signed to improve access to funds for lecturers.
Provost of the college, Dr. Paul Chuks Onuoha, was also quoted as highlighting recent achievements, including accreditation of new programmes, student population growth from 500 to 2,000, and the construction of additional hostels, laboratories and workshops.
Onuoha added that the school now runs on solar power to ensure 24-hour electricity supply, while pledging support for the council’s reforms.
