COVID-19: ‘Explore the period to boost local manufacturing capacity’ –Onu

0
23

By Francis Ogwo

Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has disclosed that the period of the coronavirus and its huge impact on the economy leaves the country at a vantage position to developing homegrown solutions to meet international standards.

While addressing participants of a Senior Executive course No.42, 2020, of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos, via Skype on Thursday in Abuja, Onu noted that agencies under his Ministry are already exploring the opportunity in creating local solutions such as production of hand sanitizers, disinfectants, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) like high-quality facemasks, body immune boosters, vaccine, test kits, disinfectant dispensing equipment, ventilators, tele-medicine and others.

“The Ministry is also upgrading the molecular Biology laboratories of her Biotechnology agency in Abuja and Odi, Bayelsa State, SHETSCO laboratory and the multi-purpose laboratory of the National Institute for Science Laboratory at Ibadan as test centers. Nigeria should start planning how to take advantage of the opportunities created by COVID-19,” the Minister added.

“All nations will carry the burden, bear the pains and suffer the agony of this deadly and infectious disease but not many nations will benefit from the opportunities that will come with the end of the disease. Nigeria should prepare to take advantage of the opportunities that will certainly come.

“Regarding the post COVID-19 era, our goal is to make the states and Local Governments the veritable engine-houses of value added, technology and innovation-driven, socio-economic growth. This will be accomplished by deploying a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.

“The Ministry will deploy innovative mechanisms to lift 82 million Nigerians out of poverty by doubling the current 47 million Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME’s) in Nigeria.

“Our target will be to ameliorate the socio-economic and livelihood disruptions resulting from the pandemic, through the deployment of science, technology and innovation interventions involving relevant stakeholders in carefully selected Innovation and Competitive Hubs throughout Nigeria,” he added.

Observers had argued that the country could explore a great degree of revenue from the non-oil sectors of Nigeria’s economy such as agriculture and manufacturing with a look also, into research from the academia.

Many are of the view that several research findings have been conducted by students and professors in Universities, Colleges and Research Institutions on managing pandemics, with the research findings hanging in the shelves.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here