Partnership between research institutes, industries critical to Nigeria’s industrialisation – Minister

Partnership between research institutes, industries critical to Nigeria’s industrialisation – Minister
NAN-H-117
Industry
By Mohammed Lawal
Zaria (Kaduna State), May 11, 2017 (NAN) Chief Ogbonaya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology, said on Thursday that promoting linkages between research institutes, government and industries would propel Nigeria’s industrial development.

Onu made the remark at the inauguration NOTAP-PZ upgraded Chemical Laboratory at the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT) in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minister also inaugurated the RMRDC-NARICT joint pilot plant for the production of high grade precipitated calcium carbonate and caustic soda.

The minister stressed that continued collaboration between the three bodies was critical to the success of country’s industrial revolution.

“The problem of transforming the economy is a thing that involves all Nigerians, so is not just the research institute that can do it alone.

“We need industry, and here we have the industry coming to assist research and developmental work of the nation, knowing that in the end they will be the primary beneficiaries.

“And the output will be of benefit to the country’s industrialisation and all Nigerians,” he noted.

Onu said his ministry was supporting President Muhammadu Buhari’s quest to permanently change the direction of Nigeria’s economy.

“Since independence our economy has been dependent on oil resources; we depend on commodities which we don’t determine the price and that is why when there is a sharp drop we have a recession.

“Now, we want to move our economy to be dependent on knowledge and that is where the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology must play a very important, critical and cardinal role to achieve it.

“What we have seen here today is very important, it shows that we have the capacity for our scientists, engineers to design production facilities, construct equipment and upgrade those equipment.

“That is what the pilot plant is showing.

“There is really no need now to continue to import sodium hydroxide, and sodium hydroxide is critical in so many industries,” he said.

The minister noted that with this development, Nigeria now need not to import raw materials for the production of soap going by the technology developed by NARICT.(NAN)
KLM/MZA
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Edited by Maharazu Ahmed