The Honourable Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) and Kalungu East Member of Parliament Hon. Vincent Ssempijja has today Friday 10th February 2017 paid his first official courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor Prof. John Ddumba-Ssentamu. The jovial Minister congratulated the Vice Chancellor upon continuing to steer Makerere University through choppy waters.
Prof. Ddumba-Ssentamu thanked the Hon. Ssempijja for taking practical interest in the activities of Makerere University as demonstrated by his visit. He thanked the Government for facilitating the award of US$ 29.2million funding from the African Development Bank under the AfDB-HEST project, part of which has helped to renovate and equip the Biotechnology Laboratory based at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences-CAES. Equipment worth US$1million will also be installed in this facility.
“We are passionate about agricultural research and this support has helped us to improve our research facilities. Nevertheless, the space at the Main Campus is not sufficient for all these activities and the long term plan is to relocate all agricultural research to Kabanyolo (Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute Kabanyolo-MUARIK)” remarked the Vice Chancellor.
In his remarks, the Principal, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES)-Prof. Bernard Bashaasha, thanked the Minister for his visit and for the Government’s support for the revitalization of the Dairy Value Chain at MUARIK. “This is one of the facilities that we shall tour this morning at MUARIK” said the Principal, further adding that “the Feed Mill is now also operational.”
Hon. Vincent Ssempijja commended the Vice Chancellor and University Management upon the improved infrastructure at Makerere University. “I observed a lot of infrastructural development as I came in and I congratulate you upon a job well done,” said the Minister. He added that the Government was aware of the various challenges faced by Makerere especially in terms of funding for research, staff wages and staff establishment. He nevertheless expressed the Government’s willingness to find solutions to these challenges, as shown by the President’s appointment of a Visitation Committee to inquire into the affairs of Makerere University.
At MUARIK, the Minister is scheduled to visit the; Consortium for enhancing University Responsiveness to Agribusiness Development Limited (CURAD), Banana Tissue Culture Lab, Biotechnology Lab, Poultry unit, Soybean centre, Agricultural engineering workshop, Feed Mill, Dairy Unit, and the Earthworm breeding project. He will thereafter meet and hold discussions with staff and in the afternoon, visit the School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bio engineering, CAES.
At the conclusion of the courtesy call, the Honourable Minister received a necktie and an assortment of souvenirs from Makerere University.
Article by Public Relations Office