By Perpetua Onuegbu
Abuja – Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister of Science and Technology says biotechnology sciences and researches provide scientific solutions to major challenges facing humankind.
Onu made this remark at the 2nd Edition of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) Open Day and Exhibitions in Abuja.
The minister was represented by the Director, Bio-resources, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Mr Oguntunde Abayomi.
He said that developments in science and technology were fundamentally altering the way people live, connect, communicate and transact with profound effects on economic development.
Onu therefore urged Nigerian researchers to initiate measures geared toward entrenching scientific awareness in important developmental areas.
“Science and technology are major drivers to development solutions as they reinforce improvements in health systems, education, infrastructure and economic advances.
“Many countries have developed national strategies, formulated policies and substantially increased investment in it, subsequently making biotechnology a strategic priority in global competitiveness.
“Since the turn of the 21st century, health, food, energy, environment and other issues have become increasingly important and biotechnology provides scientific solutions to these challenges.
“As globalization gathers momentum and biotechnology develops rapidly, bio-industry has become an increasingly rigorous challenge to global security encompassing political, economical, military and many other fields.’’ Onu said.
The minister said that all these were pointers to the fact that biotechnology would become the backbone of bio-security, adding that the open day exhibition would create awareness and sensitize the public on the activities of NABDA.
He said that the occasion should create a situation of dialoguing between scientists, policy makers and other stakeholders on breaking ideas that could be nurtured and followed up to fruition.
Prof. Lucy Ogbadu, the Director-General, NABDA said that the monthly event was organized by the agency basically to take stock of the activities of the agency and award well deserving staff for “job well done’’.
She said that the event was organised to also find ways of addressing challenges of different departments and to evaluate their activities “and possibly locate areas of synergy and collaboration to avoid duplication of work’’.
Ogbadu said that though the lack of funds had been a major setback, she expressed gratitude to partners that the challenges did not stop the agency from achieving most of its goals for the year.
Recounting some of the achievements, Ogbadu said that the agency was able to sign a number of MOUs with some agencies, which had added value to its outputs.
They include collaboration with Clinotech to do investigative and diagnostic medicine, Integrated Tech and Science International (ITSI) on Rapid DNA Profiling Centre.
Other collaborations are with JICA in capacity building of staff, National Immunization Financing Taskforce on local vaccine production.
According to her, the N125 million fund accessed by Kebbi State University Bio-resources centre of excellence through TETFUND is another achievement.
