Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari is holistically transforming Nigeria and as such, Nigerians should be grateful.
The minister told journalists in Zaria, Kaduna State, that Nigeria has so many things to be happy about since the coming to power of the Buhari administration.
The minister was in Zaria to inaugurate a chemical laboratory at the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT) and a plant for the production of high grade precipitated calcium carbonate and caustic soda.
“We have so many things to be happy with and to say yes that our country is on the move again.
“Yes, of course, we are on the move, we really want to transform Nigeria and we are very hopeful that by the grace of God, we will transform our country,” Onu said.
He, however, tasked Nigerians on collective efforts towards the transformation drive.
“The problem of transforming the economy is something that will involve all Nigerians, so we need to work together.
“It is not just the research institutes that will do it alone, we need the industries too.
“Here, we have the industry coming to assist research and developmental works of the nation, knowing that in the end, they will be the primary beneficiaries.
“The output will be of great interest and benefit to the nation’s industrialisation programme and all Nigerians,” he noted.
Also in an interview, the NARICT Acting Director-General, Prof. Mohammed Yakubu said the projects inaugurated by the minister would add value to the quest for Nigeria’s industrialisation.
He appreciated the support of NOTAP, PZ and RMRDC for their contributions to the success of the research projects.
“Hardly is there any serious research and development institution in Nigeria that does not owe its success story to the intervention of RMRDC.
“We in NARICT are proud to continue to enjoy their patronage for a long time. We collaborated with them to develop a plant for multi-metric salts production facility.
“With this facility, we are sure we will be able to supplement reagent grade and industrial grade metric salts needed in this country,” the D-G said.
He disclosed that the institute was also collaborating with RMRDC in Kenaf fibre processing technology, indigo dye extraction technology and adaptable dye machine fabrication technology among others.
