Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security yesterday inaugurated the 6th Council of the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIAS).
The council comprises 29 statutory members who will operate for a tenure of three years in line with the provisions of the Act that established the institute with expectation to devise short-term and long- term solutions to enhance resilience and sustainability across the livestock value chain.
The pioneer executive-secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, Prof. Baba Yusuf Abubakar serves as the president of the council, S.K. Ohwofa and Prof A.O.K. Adesehinwa serves as the vice president and 2nd vice president respectively.
Other members of the council include; the registrar of NIAS, Prof E. A. Iyaji who serves as the secretary to the council and the former executive-secretary of TETFund, Prof. E. S. Bogoro who is the chair, board of fellow, NIAS among others. The minister of state for agriculture and food security, Sabi Abdullahi who performed the inauguration in Abuja charged the council members to bring their experience and expertise to bear towards actualising food and nutrition security.
The minister said that the federal government remains committed to implementing programmes that
will ensure the livestock production sector plays a critical role in national economic development in line
with President Bola Tinubu's agenda for food security.
He called on NIAS, as a critical stakeholder, to bring its regulatory prowess to forefront, while
maintaining highest standards, increase market access for Nigerian livestock products and potentially
boost foreign exchange earnings for the country.
In his remarks the president of the council, Prof B.Y. Abubakar promised to work closely with the
Department of Animal Husbandry Services in the ministry with focus to achieve the goals of the
Renewed Hope Agenda of the federal government with respect to food and nutrition security.
Abubakar also called for the review and further amendment of the NIAS Act.
