From Tongnaan Bawa, Jos
Senate Committee Chairman on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions, Simon Bako Lalong has presided over the meeting of the Committee for the first time since he was announced to head the standing Committee by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Senator Lalong while welcoming members of the Committee to the meeting expressed delight on the responsibility given to him to serve as Chairman.
In a statement signed Dr. Makut Simon Macham his Special Adviser on Media, said he promised to serve and lead with integrity and honesty as well as carry all his colleagues along in ensuring that Nigeria’s agricultural sector is revamped through strengthening the research institutions to deliver on their mandates.
Senator Lalong described agriculture as the new oil that must be developed and utilised to address poverty, food insecurity and unemployment.
He promised to lead his colleagues in carrying out thorough oversight of all agricultural research institutes and colleges under the Committee to ensure that they perform their duties for the interest of Nigerians.
In his remarks, Vice Chairman of the Committee Senator Titus Zam, welcomed Senator Lalong as Chairman of the Committee and assured him that the members will work with him to deliver on the legislative agenda of the 10th Senate as it relates to development of agriculture in Nigeria.
He suggested that the oversight visits earlier scheduled should be reviewed to enable the Committee embark on the exercise in a more rubost manner with tangible outcomes.
Also contributing, another member, Senator Akintunde Abiodun emphasized the need for the Committee to further interface and map out coordinated plans for the oversight to ensure that the budgetary provisions for the institutes are implemented to the fullest.