By Aga Samuel Imoter, Jalingo
The Taraba State Government has charged graduands of the College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Jalingo, to deploy their knowledge, skills and technical training towards wealth creation, job generation and economic transformation of the state.
The government said the future of Taraba’s economy depended largely on the ability of its young graduates to transform the state’s vast agricultural and natural resources into productive ventures capable of creating wealth and employment.
The charge was given at the combined 17th to 45th Convocation Ceremony of the college in Jalingo, which marked the return of the institution’s convocation tradition after 29 years.
Representing Governor Agbu Kefas, the Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. John Kizito Bonzena, urged the graduands to move beyond certificate acquisition and translate their academic training into practical solutions to the economic challenges confronting the state.
Governor Kefas, in his message, said his administration remained committed to repositioning education and agriculture as strategic instruments for human capital development, food security, employment generation and sustainable economic growth.
He urged the graduands to embrace modern agricultural technologies, innovation and entrepreneurship, stressing that agriculture should no longer be viewed merely as a subsistence activity but as a viable business capable of creating wealth and lifting communities out of poverty.
The governor also called on the graduates to become employers of labour rather than depend solely on government and other formal institutions for employment.
According to him, the knowledge acquired at CATS should serve as a foundation for developing businesses, introducing innovations and exploiting opportunities across Taraba’s agricultural value chains.
Kefas congratulated the graduands on the successful completion of their studies and charged them to uphold discipline, integrity and excellence while remaining worthy ambassadors of the institution.
He further directed the management of the college to strengthen academic training, research and innovation to ensure that graduates are adequately prepared to tackle emerging challenges in agriculture and other related sectors.
The convocation marked a significant turning point in the history of CATS Jalingo, as the institution formally restored a tradition that had been suspended for almost three decades.
The combined ceremony brought together graduands from different academic sessions, government officials, traditional rulers, academics, families and other stakeholders.
The return of the convocation provided an opportunity for the institution to celebrate its graduates while reconnecting its academic mission with the broader development agenda of Taraba State.
The Rector of the College, Dr. Yakubu Ali Garjila, commended Governor Kefas for the administration’s support to the institution, particularly interventions that contributed to the successful re-accreditation of its academic programmes.
Garjila, however, said the college still faced infrastructure and operational challenges that required urgent attention.
He listed inadequate hostel facilities, shortage of office and staff accommodation, electricity supply and poor road infrastructure among the major challenges confronting the institution.
The Rector appealed for sustained government and stakeholder support to address the challenges and further improve the environment for teaching, learning and research.
The Chairman of the College Governing Council, Dr. Mohammed Shatta, represented by former Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Pastor Gambo Ndafo, presented HND, ND and intermediate certificates to the graduands.
Speaking on behalf of the graduating students, the Valedictorian, Donald Daniel, commended Governor Kefas for his interventions in the education sector and support for the college.
Daniel urged his colleagues to put their training to practical use, stressing that the value of education would ultimately be measured by its impact on society.
He called on the graduands to embrace entrepreneurship, innovation and community development while contributing meaningfully to the growth of Taraba State.
The ceremony was attended by the Chairman of the Taraba State House of Assembly Committee on Education, Hon. Josiah Yaro Angye, and other lawmakers.
Also present were the Commissioner for Tertiary Institutions, Dr. Mike Dio Jen, represented by the Commissioner for Special Duties, Hon. Saviour Noku; members of the State Executive Council; Deputy State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Hon. Pastor Stephen Orthaniel; heads of sister tertiary institutions; security chiefs; chairpersons of local government councils; traditional rulers, including the Lamdo Gashaka; permanent secretaries; special advisers; heads of boards and parastatals; academic and administrative staff, members of the press and families of the graduands.
The ceremony came at a time when Taraba is intensifying efforts to leverage its agricultural potential, human capital and natural resources to expand economic opportunities.
For the graduands, the ceremony signalled the end of formal academic training and the beginning of a new phase in which their knowledge and skills would be tested in the real economy.
For CATS Jalingo, it represented the restoration of an institutional tradition and renewed confidence in its role as a training ground for the manpower required to drive Taraba’s agricultural transformation.
