Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The Kebbi State government has released the sum of N650 million for the rehabilitation of facilities in Argungu fishing festival (AFF) site which was billed to hold on March.
Commissioner for Works,Alhaji Abubakar China Ladan,who confirmed this on Wednesday, while briefing newsmen after State Executive Council meeting, explained that the rehabilitation becomes necessary due to decaying in the facilities after eleven years the festival seized to hold.
Ladan, who is also a member of the main organising committee, said work on the dilapidated facilities had since commenced stressed that the rehabilitation would finished as scheduled.
“The state government has released the sum of N650 million on rehabilitation of facilities at the venue of the Argungu fishing festival. The rehabilitation is necessary looking at the fact the facilities were out of use for the past 11 years.
” Rehabilitation work is ongoing on the three roads leading to Matan Fadan, the site of the fishing festival as well as the other road leading to the fishing village. Eleven Governors’ lodge, 97 round huts, motel are some of the facilities also undergoing rehabilitation.”
The Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Muktar Umar Bunza in his remarks disclosed that 439 academic and non-academic staff of the College of Agriculture, Zuru would be absorbed by the Federal University of Agriculture.
The Commissioner was explaining how the Federal University of Agriculture, which would be using the College institution as its campus for the takeoff, would not affect the students and staff of the college.
According to him, “Some of them would be absorbed ,other will be transferred to the other places. There are 700 students in the college. The state government will provide the land, the existing institution, which us over 40 years old. His Excellency, Governor of Kebbi State has ordered us that in the course of transition, no students or staff should suffer”