COVID-19: FG moves to partner Nile university on vaccine production

From Charity Nwakaudu Abuja

The Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, has assured Nile University of Nigeria of government’s drive to collaborate with them and other research institutions in the production of COVID-19 vaccine.

Onu stated this while receiving in audience, the Vice Chancellor of Nile University of Nigeria Prof. Osman Nuri Aras   in his office yesterday, in Abuja.

The minister  commended Nile University for working in collaboration with other Research Institutions in the Country to come up as soon as possible with COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria.

He further emphasized that FMST is interested in moving the economy away from depending entirely on commodities to knowledge based and this he said, is the main thrust of President Muhammed Buhari’s administration.

He added that FMST is working assiduously to bring all research institutions, Universities, both public and private to round table interaction which will help in building an economy that is dependent on knowledge.

He said: “We have the human capital to do it, and this is where the university system is of critically importance in developing human capital needed to transform the abundant human resources into products and services”.

He also explained that three agencies of the ministry led by National Bio-technology development Agency (NABDA) are involved in serious research geared towards the production of COVID-19 Vaccine in Nigeria.

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of Nile University of Nigeria, Prof. Osman Muri Aras said, he was in the Ministry to Partner with FMST in the production of COVID-19 Vaccine and other related diseases that can help to alleviate the lingering problems of human health.