Metro
WAMCO Delivers Nigeria’s First Set of High Yield Girolando Crossbreeds
FrieslandCampina WAMCO has announced the successful crossbreeding and birth of 25 Crossbreed Girolando calves achieved locally across various farms in Oyo, Ogun and Kwara states, thus spearheading a production revolution and transformation of Nigeria’s dairy sector.
The announcement made by the dairy company’s Executive Director, Corporate Affairs, Ore Famurewa, explained that the Girolando breed is a composite of ‘Milking Gir’ from Brazil and Holstein Friesian from the Netherlands and has produced tremendous results for many decades in Brazil, leading to its transformation to a world power in dairy production.
“In addition to having a high milk yield, the Girolando breed is heat-tolerant, tick-borne disease resistant and possesses other characteristics ideal for production in tropical countries like Nigeria. The Girolando calves are the first generation of a new high milk producing breed in Nigeria” Famurewa said.
FrieslandCampina WAMCO continues to contribute to the development of the dairy sector and national food security through its Dairy Development activities and partnerships such as the Value4Dairy Consortium.
Launched in April 2021, the Value4Dairy Consortium made up of four strategic partners namely FrieslandCampina WAMCO (Nigeria’s foremost dairy Company), URUS (the largest cow genetics company in the world), Barenbrug (a leading grass seed company) and Agrifirm (a leading feed and supplement company in the Netherlands).
The consortium is making progress in implementing sustainable strategies to fast-track growth and development of the Nigerian dairy sector, with proven track records in various agri-related value chains.
Two partners of the Consortium, FrieslandCampina WAMCO and URUS Group LP, the global leader in cattle breeding and dairy herd management programs, selected the Girolando breed for introduction to Nigeria and subsequently signed an agreement with a local breeding farm-SMAP Farms Limited. The strategic partnership will maximize success in crossbreeding and increased milk yields on local farms in a sustainable way.
In 2022, 1400 Girolando semen straws were produced and 610 artificial inseminations achieved, and 25 Crossbreed Girolando calves have been birthed till date. FrieslandCampina WAMCO sees this key milestone achievement as an important step to give smallholder farmers access to affordable good yield dairy cows in Nigeria.
FrieslandCampina WAMCO and other partners of the Value4Dairy Consortium remain committed to providing scalable solutions to agri-related challenges in the Nigerian dairy sector.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, has inspected seven Modified Light Tactical Vehicles procured for the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to enhance and strengthen their operations in securing life and property in the country, according to a statement made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP).
Gaidam performed the function in company of the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Anuma Ogbonaya Nlia, and top Management of the Ministry at the Federal Secretariat, Phase III, in Abuja.
The Minister stated that the seven Modified Light Tactical Armoured Vehicles were acquired from the budgetary allocation of the Ministry, and they would be handed over to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to enhance their security operations to enable them to perform better. “They are supposed to use it professionally to combat insecurity in the country,” he stressed.
A stray bullet has allegedly killed a student who was heading to the examination centre to sit for the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination being organised by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The incident happened on Gbagi market road in the Egbeda Local Government Area of the state when a stray bullet allegedly fired by a police officer in pursuit of a suspect hit and allegedly killed the student on Tuesday.
Investigations revealed that the boy was on a motorcycle with his father and twin brother when the incident struck.
The student, according to multiple eyewitnesses, was on his way to the examination centre.
One of the sources, simply identified as Ajani, said, “A police officer opened fire while chasing a fleeing vehicle. One of the bullets reportedly hit the student. The student was riding on a motorcycle with his father and twin brother.
“The victim was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Another witness said, “The deceased was on his way to the examination centre alongside his twin brother when the tragedy happened.”
Meanwhile, irate youths took the student’s lifeless body to the state Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, to demand justice and called on Governor Seyi Makinde to intervene.
The deceased body has been deposited at Adeoyo Hospital morgue.
As of press time, authorities have not released an official statement on the incident.
The Punch
The Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU)and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have condemned the recent distribution formula for the N50 billion earned allowance approved by the Federal government for university-based unions.
The unions expressed their displeasure in the sharing formula in a jointly signed statement by the President of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, and the General Secretary of NASU, Peters Adeyemi on Sunday in Abuja.
The Federal government last month approved the release of N50billion to universities as earned allowances.
The N50billion is to be shared between the Academic Staff Union of Universities; NASU, SSANU and National Association of Academic Technologists.
The statement said: “We wish to make it clear that this is not a contest of supremacy among unions. Rather, it is about fairness, recognition, and the equitable treatment of all workers who form the backbone of the Nigerian University system.”
The unions further demanded a review and reversal of the allocation formula, which they describe as “grossly unfair” and “totally unacceptable.”
The unions argued that the distribution was capable of creating industrial disharmony and accentuating the teaching/non-teaching dichotomy in Nigerian universities.
They vowed to stand united in demanding justice, fairness, and recognition of their rightful place in the university community.
They warned that going ahead with the unfair distribution will breed resentment and trigger widespread industrial disharmony.
“Non-Teaching staff of Nigerian Universities are not second-class citizens but are critical stakeholders who contribute immensely to the day-to-day functionality, administrative efficiency, research excellence, technical operations, and overall development of the Nigerian Universities system.
“A harmonious and productive academic environment can only be achieved when all stakeholders are treated with respect, dignity, equity, and fairness,” the statement added.
