TheCable

Ogbonnaya Onu, minister of science and technology, says there are many things Nigerians are happy about with the current administration.

Onu told journalists in Zaria, Kaduna state, that President Muhammadu Buhari is carrying out an all-inclusive transformation of the country, and that he was hopeful that the country would be transformed.

The minister, who 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.

He, however, urged Nigerians to collectively work towards the transformation drive.

“We have so many things to be happy with and to say yes that our country is on the move again,”Onu said.

“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.”

“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.

Mohammed Yakubu, acting director-general of NARICT, 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 the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (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,” Yakubu said.

“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.”

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.