SPEECH
DELIVERED BY HIS EXCELLENCY, CHIEF OLUSEGUN OBASANJO, GCFR, PRESIDENT,
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ON
THE OCCASION OF INVESTITURE CEREMONY OF THE COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SURGEONS OF
NIGERIA AND THE ENDOWMENT FUND LAUNCHING OF THE COLLEGE, ABUJA, FRIDAY FEBRUARY
6, 2004.
It
gives me great pleasure to be at this Second Investiture Ceremony of the
Postgraduate College of Veterinary Surgeons, Nigeria (CVSN). My invitation to
be Guest of Honour at this ceremony is no doubt in recognition of the
importance our administration attaches to agriculture in general and the
improvement of the livestock industry in particular.
In
furtherance of this, I had earlier set up a Presidential Committee on Livestock
and directed that it comes up with recommendations on how best to improve the
livestock industry. In the same vein when the Principal Officers of the
Veterinary Council and the Postgraduate College of Veterinary Surgeons of
Nigeria paid me a courtesy call last October, I challenged them to come up with
concrete suggestions on how to improve the quality and quantity of livestock
and livestock products at affordable prices to the growing Nigerian population.
I
have no doubt in my mind that with the calibre of people you have in the
profession, a solution will be found to this problem of enhancing the quality
and quantity of livestock and livestock products in Nigeria. Maybe I should
challenge you collectively to ensure that the raging flu in Asia does not get to
Nigeria through your vaccine research and production. I understand that there
is a vaccine against the flu. Whatever needs to be done about this must be done
to avoid problems.
On
our part, this administration intends to continue pursuing its policies which
are aimed at providing the necessary enabling environment for the growth of the
livestock sub-sector of the economy and the Veterinary profession. This is in
consonance with our determined efforts to engender stability, generate growth,
ensure sustainable development, foster food security, and institutionalise
democratic ideals in our polity.
May
I at this juncture throw another challenge to members of the Veterinary Council
of Nigeria and the Postgraduate College of Veterinary Surgeons: what will it
take to attract private sector investment in support of the endowment fund of
the College? You should look into this as a matter of priority. Feel very free
to let me know whatever you wish me to do in my private capacity as a poultry
farmer. I will be very glad to be part of the initiative. I will also be glad
to get those who currently enjoy the benefits of your profession to support
your fundraising initiative.
I
am confident that if you put your minds to it, you can work out creative ways
of getting the private sector of the economy to invest meaningfully
in
veterinary medicine.
I
heartily congratulate all the Awardees of the College's Diploma who are being
honoured today.
On behalf of myself and the other Patrons of the College, I want to express my gratitude to you for the honour done us and wish to assure you that we will continue to support the livestock industry in Nigeria.
It
is now my singular and special privilege and honour to declare the proceedings
of the Investiture closed.
Thank you.