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By Sunday Ani
Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji has commended the efforts of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), to partner with PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc, to upgrade chemistry and chemical engineering laboratories in the universities across Nigeria.
A statement by NOTAP’s assistant chief information officer, Raymond Onyenezi Ogbu, said the minister made the commendation at the commissioning of a newly upgraded Chemical and Chemistry Engineering Laboratory at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State.
Chief Uche, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Esuabana Nko-Asanye, said the partnership was necessary for the improvement of science education in Nigeria.
He stated that upgrading the laboratory would offer the students the opportunity to undertake critical laboratory experiments, and come up with research and development results that could translate into goods and services for not just the benefit of the immediate community, but also the entire nation.
He noted that Nigeria was blessed with arable land, and favourable weather for production of farm produce, and should not have any reason to import food from other countries.
He stressed that in the early 80s, Umudike was known for the production of all kinds of food, enough to feed the entire eastern states, but wondered why the situation suddenly changed.
He challenged the university community to make the best use of the state-of-the-art laboratory equipment donated by NOTAP and PZ to ensure that the state regains its position as the food producer for the entire eastern Nigeria.
In her welcome address, the acting Director General of NOTAP, Dr. Idoreyin Imiyoho, informed the gathering that the project known as NOTAP-Industry Research Laboratory Upgrade (NIRLUP), started in 2014 based on the need to link academia with industry.
She added that it was a voluntary partnership to upgrade the chemical and chemistry engineering laboratories of some selected institutions to ensure credible research results.
Dr Imiyoho described education as the cornerstone for progress, and science education, stressing that it also holds the key to unlocking the boundless opportunities inherent in the citizens.
She said NOTAP as a technology regulatory agency saw the need to upgrade the research facilities of the universities and requested partnership with the industry to actualise that.
She noted that only PZ agreed to partner with the Office to support research in chemical sciences and engineering. According to her, under the partnership, PZ has funded the upgrading of five institutions, the chemical laboratories of the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT), Zaria; the chemical laboratory of the University of Calabar (UNICAL); the chemical engineering laboratory of Modibbo Adama University of Technology (MAUTECH), Yola, Adamawa State; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; and Alex Ekwueme University of Technology Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State.
She stated that when the company saw the potential impacts of the upgraded laboratories, it made further commitment to upgrade additional five universities, with the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture as the first to be commissioned among the second set of institutions to be upgraded.
She expressed appreciation to PZ for showing a high sense of responsibility to Nigeria through the strategic partnership, adding that it was through such partnership that Nigeria would be able to transform knowledge into socio-economic solutions and assets that will bring about sustained national development.
In his address, the Chief Executive Officer of PZ, Mr. Dimitris Koistianis, who was represented by the Director, Supply Chains, Ifeanyichukwu Abadom, said he was glad that the MOU signed between PZ, NOTAP and the benefiting universities was yielding fruits.
He said PZ had always been committed to improving the lives of its customers, communities, stakeholders and the society in general. He added that the mantra of the company is: ‘for everyone, for life, for good.’
He noted that PZ shares a common vision with NOTAP in domesticating technical know-how and providing the necessary infrastructure to conduct research locally.
He said that the company would continue to support any genuine proposal from critical partners like the NOTAP as the development of the country remains the responsibility of everyone. He, therefore, expressed the readiness of the company to upgrade and commission the laboratories of the remaining institutions as agreed in the MOU.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, expressed joy over the upgrading of the laboratory, saying the institution was now better equipped to conduct critical research.
