….says trainees to receive internationally recognized certificates

By Gabriel Ewepu, Abuja

THE Nigeria Institute of Animal Science, NIAS, has trained 26 Accessors to sanitize and reposition the livestock subsector in Nigeria.

Speaking on the essence of capacity building, Head of Accreditation and Curriculum, NIAS, Peter Alike, said these animal scientists are out to ensure and enforce standards as part of NIAS mandate to sanitize the livestock subsector with certified persons manning livestock industry with internationally recognized certificates.

Alike said: “The 26 Accessors were trained and were drawn from the industry and they are skilled people because they are all animal scientists, they would now be able to ensure compliance to training standards on animal science and development of middle manpower in Nigeria.

“With what is happening in the country today, for instance when you listen to radio you hear people say they are training on rabbitry, swine, and others. The question is, where are the people they have trained? Because they did not train them within standards.

“The Institute has regulatory standards and developed standards for beef, poultry, and also feed mill and the other value chains. And these standards are seen in other climes become standards for training and all accredited training centres for animal husbandry in Nigeria.”

He maintained that, “The implication is that the training that would be done in Sokoto would be the same training that would be done elsewhere in the country.”

According to him, it is not compulsory to be a graduate before he or she can be in animal husbandry.

However, he disclosed that the Institute is in conjunction with National Board for Technical Education, in order to bring up vocational training.

“The Accessors are people who are going to be accessing the compliance of these standards and the Institute will certify the trainees and these certificates are useful in over 96 counties as it is internationally recognized”, he said.

He further stated that the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, AfCTA, it going to engender labour possibility, and if people migrate from Nigeria they have work to do and it is in line with the mandate of NIAS.

Also, the Registrar, NIAS,
Prof Eaustace Iyaye, in a remark said, “It is to see that we have a critical mass of skilled personnel that would drive the livestock subsector and export labour.”

Iyayi also explained that the socio-economic inclusion of the rural and vulnerable people is to be upscaled through increased livestock productivity and market access.