Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has declared a state of emergency on the National Animal Production Research Institute and set up a committee to revitalise the institute.

Auwalu Umar, the director of the public affairs directorate of the university, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday.

He stated that the revitalisation was aimed at repositioning NAPRI for greater impact in livestock research, breeding, and resource mobilisation.

Mr Umar added that the NAPRI Reform and Strategic Transformation Committee is chaired by J.K.P. Kwaga of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

The vice-chancellor, Adamu Ahmed, described NAPRI as “too strategic to fail in its mandate”, noting that the institute had faced significant challenges in fulfilling its core objectives.

The vice-chancellor said, “The university declared a state of emergency on NAPRI to address the decline in its statutory functions,” stressing that the committee’s assignment was crucial to the success of the reform process.

“The committee is expected to design and oversee comprehensive reforms that would revitalise NAPRI’s core functions and restore its place as a key contributor to Nigeria’s livestock development goals.”

He charged the committee to submit an inception report within two weeks, outlining its reform framework and implementation strategy, and assured full support from the university management.

The vice-chancellor commended Mr Kwaga’s leadership and expertise, describing his role as pivotal to the transformation effort.

In his response, Mr Kwaga expressed appreciation to the vice-chancellor and the university management for the confidence reposed in the committee, assuring their readiness to deliver within the stipulated six-month timeframe.

Members of the committee include I. U. Abubakar, the former executive director of the Institute for Agricultural Research, and M. K. Othman, former executive director of National Agricultural Extension Research and Liaison Services. Others are Tunji Iyiola-Tunji of NAERLS, A. K. B. Sackey of ABU, Zaria’s Department of Veterinary Medicine, and Abdul Bakura, dean, Faculty of Agriculture.

The former dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Junaidu Kabir, will serve as secretary of the committee.

(NAN)