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By Chinelo Obogo
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has renewed its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Lagos (Unilag) on the deployment of its metallurgical science laboratory at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.
The MoU initially signed in July 2018 by the then leadership of the bureau when it was still Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) was renewed by the Director-General, Capt. Alex Badeh Jr, and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola.
The MoU signed with Unilag at that time entailed the relocation of some of the equipment in the laboratory but due to some logistics, the equipment had not been moved, prompting the new leadership of NSIB to renew the pact. During the MoU signing at the Unilag Senate Building, the NSIB DG stated that the bureau would fast-track the relocation of some of the equipment in the laboratory for the use of the institution. He stated that the initial agreement was not followed up due to some logistics reasons, disclosing that on the assumption of office, he met the MoU on the ground, which required renewal.
His words: “The initial one was signed in 2018, but there was no real follow-through, and when I took over, I met the MoU there, needing a renewal. So, we discussed it internally. We need the expertise of the University of Lagos and other academia in Nigeria. We have some equipment that we can’t use at present, so we just thought collaboration was the way to go. There’s no reason why these things are sitting there and you have a capable hand at universities all across. So we went back to the University of Lagos, which we’re starting with. Science is constantly evolving and things that were attainable then aren’t now. We know the university needs funding and we too, as an agency, need funding, so we’ll try to collaborate to get that funding to move us in a positive direction.”
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the University said the equipment would help the university in carrying out its mandate of teaching and research. She said, “We are intentional to make sure our research is demand-driven. We want to move Nigeria forward as a university and we want you to challenge us to come up with solutions.
Dean, Faculty of Engineering of the university, Prof. Samson Adeosun, urged the NSIB leadership to fast-track the movement of the equipment. He stated that the university is anticipating that the equipment would be relocated immediately after the initial agreement. He stated that the school sends samples to Kaduna from Lagos for analysis, but that it would be a thing of the past once the equipment is relocated.
