Nsibambi tips graduates on farming

Farming is the best alternative venture for graduates to raise side income and attain financial independence, former prime minister Apollo Nsibambi has said, after noting that the opportunity is not being exploited.

Prof. Nsibambi said elites prefer to sit and wait for donations through their respective proposals to start projects.

While officiating at Ndejje University’s 13th graduation ceremony on Friday, Prof. Nsibambi said: “Academicians should not sit and wait for help from people. There is great opportunity in farming to supplement on your income. As a retired prime minister and academician, I am writing a book but I also practise farming to supplement on my family’s income. You should also engage in meaningful research work, though the country still maintains a low reading culture.”

Prof. Nsibambi cautioned the graduands against engaging in expensive adventures such as parties because a lot of money is wasted in them.

Meanwhile, Ndejje Uiversity has set up a fully-fledged engineering faculty and started a Chemical Engineering course which comes at a time when the country badly needs local engineers to manage and oversee the oil industry.

Prof. Stephen Talitwala, the university’s chancellor, said establishing the engineering faculty was an expensive venture but the university is now proud of its first students from the faculty, who were among the graduands.

Prof. Talitwala also said the university also endeavours to promote research and publication by organising research staff competitions.

To add on the list to the achievements, the faculties have also increased from two to six in the past 10 years, and the university was also chartered by the National Council for Higher Education two years ago, which has enabled it to venture into research in partnership with other international universities.

A total of 1,315 graduands were passed out, 25 of which were from the Faculty of Engineering.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Michael Ssenyimba, who has been at the university for 10 years, conferred the degrees and diplomas.

In a separate development, at least 2,000 students at the weekend joined thousands of job-seeking Ugandans after getting awards in various disciplines at Nkumba University.

The University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Paul Mugambi, while conferring the degrees, diplomas and awarding certificates, urged the graduands to use confidence, competence, creativity and character to become changing agents to the world.