Dr Ahmed Isah Ahmed, Provost Bauchi State College of Agriculture, Science and Technology speaks to the media on issues ranging from research related development, animal health sciences, and the needs to support the college overwhelmingly by all critical stakeholders.
By Abdullahi Idris, Bauchi
Tell us about your biography sir?
I was born on 20th August 1975 in Maiduguri, the then headquarter of Northeastern state and had my primary education in Kofar Nassarawa Primary School in Bauchi. I attended Government Science Secondary School between 1987 to 1992 I then moved to University of Maiduguri and studied veterinary medicine where I graduated as the overall best graduating student of Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in 2002. I did my National Youth Service in Bayelsa State at Yenagoa veterinary clinic under Bayelsa State Ministry of Agriculture. Immediately after my NYSC, I was employed into the services of Bauchi State as a Veterinary Officer at Ran road Veterinary Clinic under Ministry of Agriculture in 2004. In the year 2006, I joined the services of Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic, Bauchi as a Lecturer I officer and work with the Department of Animal Health and Production. In 2013 Bauchi State College of Agriculture was curved out of the Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic and that work under School of Agriculture of the Polytechnic were posted to form pioneer staff of the College. In the college I rouse through the ranks up to Chief Lecturer. I enrolled for MSc in Animal Health and Production at ATBU between 2010 to 212 and later did my PhD in applied Parasitology institution and finished in 2018. In 2015 I was appointed HOD Animal Health Technology Department, three years later elected and appointed Deputy Provost of the college and in 2020 saddled with the responsibility of leading the college on acting capacity. My appointment was graciously confirmed as a substantive Provost by His Excellency Governor Bala Mohammad.
What are your solid achievements as Provost?
Provost: you all know that Bauchi State College of Agriculture is Monotechnic that doesn’t benefit from TetFund intervention. Therefore, we run the college solely using our meagre IGR. But despite the little resources at our disposal we are able to achieve a lot which included the construction of 250 sitting capacity ICT centre, construction of agro- retail shop, renovation of assembly hall, renovation of human clinic, conversation and renovation of under utilized store to center for entrepreneurship studies, renovation of forestry nursery building and many other renovations. We also installed solar panels across the school, classes and staff quarters. I could remember when we came on most of vehicles were not serviceable we got them serviceable. We repaired tractors and purchased farm implement. We sponsor our staff to attend conferences and worship. We equally organised in-house workshops to develop the capacity of our staff. It is worth mentioning that our school recently got an affiliation with Federal University, Dutse to start post graduate diploma in Animal Health and Production, Crop Science Soil Science and Agric. Extension and Rural Development. in fact these are some of what we are able to achieve for now but inshaAllah we would do more.
How cordial is your relationship with Bauchi Stare Government?
They support us with all necessary mechanisms to improve our standardization as an institution of higher learning. Just recently, His Excellency Governor Bala Abdukadir Mohammad approved our request for funds to enable us reaccredits all courses run by the college. We are optimistic that since approval has been granted to ur request the funds will insha Allah be released. It is interesting to mention that similar requests were sent to the past administrations but didn’t see the light of the day until this regime of our able and workaholic Governor Bala Abdukadir Mohammad.
Sincerely speaking many of our staff thought that we were neglected but the government officials the college along with the working visit of members of house committee of education and that of the Honorable Commissioner of Higher Education ignited hope in our minds that there is very bright light at the end of the tunnel. We also want to us this medium to express our profound thanks and appreciation for the support he gave us to secure victory against land grabbers that wanted to encroach our students demonstration plot.
Where do you get research funds?
Well we have not been able to achieve that because of our classification as Monotechnic. However, we have been trying to get that at individual level. Recently myself and my Deputy, Dr Ahmed Abdukadir Gamawa were invited by Pirbright institute in the United kingdom to make presentations with a view of developing collaboration we are hopeful that the partnership will be actualized.
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