Professor Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, the esteemed Vice Chancellor of Miçhael Ókpàrà University of Agriculture, Úmudíke, recently paid a visit to the institution’s Agribusiness Incubation Centre, The VC was received by the Director of the Agribusiness Incubation Centre, Dr. Philip Nto. This visit served as an occasion for the Vice Chancellor to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the center’s progress and familiarize himself with its operations.
Professor Iwe was visibly impressed and delighted by the remarkable strides made by the former Provost of ASCETA, Dr. Nto within a short period since its establishment. He commended Dr. Nto and his team for their dedication and hard work, which has contributed to the center’s rapid development and success.
During the tour, Dr. Nto provided Professor Iwe with a detailed overview of the center’s activities and objectives. He emphasized the center’s commitment to developing innovative agribusiness concepts that will not only benefit the university but also contribute to the economic growth of the state and the nation at large.
As a World Bank consultant, Dr. Nto expressed his gratitude to Professor Iwe for his visit and assured him of his commitment to leveraging his expertise and experience to further enhance the center’s impact and reach. He reiterated his determination to ensure that the center fulfills its mandate and becomes a hub of excellence in agribusiness incubation.
Dr. Philip Nto, Director of the Agribusiness Incubation Centre, articulated his vision to equip individuals with the skills to become employers of labor, rather than job seekers. He noted their readiness to train individuals in the following skills, conventional confectioneries in wheat production, production of confectioneries from indigenous roots and tuber crops, production of chips, high-quality flours and fufu flours and starches, production of drinks from ginger, turmeric, sweet potato, etc., and seasoning and mixed spices from garlic, ginger, and other local ingredients. This initiative aims to create significant employment opportunities within the country.
In response, Professor Iwe commended Dr. Nto and his team for their outstanding work and reaffirmed the university’s support for the center’s activities. He emphasized the importance of the center’s work in advancing the university’s mission and goals, highlighting its potential to drive innovation and economic development in the agricultural sector.
