STI ministry develops anti-snake, anti-sickle vaccinations, others
Dr. Adeleke Mamora, Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI), said on Monday that the ministry had developed anti-sickle cell and anti-venom vaccines, among other inventions that had received international recognition.
Mamora said this when he presented the score card of the ministry from 2015 to 2023 of President Muhammadu Buhari's administration, organized by the Ministry of Information and Culture.
The minister said there were 17 agencies under the ministry that continuously implement the policies of the ministry.
He said that part of the achievements of the ministry encompassed medicare and health, food security, boosting research and development (R&D)education, capacity building, support of energy and power development, among others.
"In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ministry embarked on the non-pharmaceutical product development of environmental disinfectant spray tunnels, sanitizers, solar-powered smart hand washing machines, and personal protective equipment."
"The Ministry also achieved the use of local herbs for the production of drugs for sickle cell disease because Nigeria has a high number of people with sickle cell anemia."
"There is also the development of an anti-venom vaccine and an anti-fat drug that reduces fat in the body."
"The Ministry, through the Raw Materials Research and Development Council's program on the development of the dairy sector, introduced the technology of increasing the daily milk yield of our cows from 1 to 1.5 liters of milk per cow to over 15 liters per cow in a day," he said.
The minister also said that there was the development of Global Positioning System(GPS) to help give early warnings for disaster management.
He also said "the National Space Research and Development Agency is working to establish a space museum and planetarium that is expected to generate about N30 billion, boost tourism activities, provide 5000 direct jobs and another 20000 indirect jobs, and improve the teaching of STI."
Other achievements he also listed included a 7.5 megawatt electricity generation plant in the FCT, the production of footwear for security personnel, and championing partnerships that would translate to national development.
According to him, the STI ministry is working to enhance the global competitiveness ranking of the nation by ensuring that Executive Order No. 5, which is on promoting indigenous content, is implemented.
Mamora appreciated Buhari for ensuring that the STI's budgetary allocation was increased over the period of his administration to ensure improved R&D.
"STI is an expensive venture, and every product has its value. Your development is a function of the degree of R&D deployed in the system."
"Our future is full of optimism as long as we keep faith and leverage on the enormous power of STI coupled with demand-driven R&D programs and projects."
"The fourth industrial revolution will register Nigeria's presence and effective participation if we sustain and escalate our current commitment and interest in research and innovation as principal push factors for technological advancement."
"We need courage, discipline, and a focus on the fundamental principles of the culture of result-based management, where all policy implementation efforts will produce outcomes," Mamora said.
He further said that Buhari's administration saw that 0.5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product be allocated to fund STI, while Tertiary Education Fund(TETFUND)funded research institutions, universities' R&D.
Mamora commended his predecessor, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, and his counterpart, Mr. Abdullahi Mohammed, for laying the foundation for the seamless development of the ministry.
