The Nation Newspaper

Tag: produce

  • We can produce 20mw yearly, says NASENI boss

    We can produce 20mw yearly, says NASENI boss

    The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) can produce 20Mega Watts (MW) of solar panel per year, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Mohammed Haruna, has said.

    According to him, the agency’s machines are rated 7.5MW per year, but when the management was under pressure to deliver a project, it produced 5MW within three month.

    He said with the feat, there is already an indication that all that NASENI needs to do is to engage more hands and run three shifts to produce about 20MW of solar panels in a year.

    Haruna, who addressed reporters at the NESENI Solar Panel Manufacturing Plant at Karshi, Abuja, said: “Now, you have seen stocks that are on the ground. Again, this is only because they are running only one shift. If we have order, we are ready to run three shifts. In fact, if we have more, we are ready to double the number of workforce we have here,” he said.

    He said although the machines are rated 7.5MW, they can produce close to 20MW in year, adding that to double the current 7.5mega watts (mw)/ annum production capacity, the agency needs about $96million.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Can Nigeria produce standard herbal drugs?

    About six months after President Goodluck Jonathan had directed Health Minister, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu to ensure that the country develops locally produced herbal drugs that can compete with orthodox drugs worldwide, not much seemed to have been done. But a member of committee set up to do the job says there is no cause for alarm. WALE ADEPOJU writes

    Will Nigeria ever produce globally acceptable herbal drugs? The answer is yes, but when, is what experts cannot put their fingers on. The process, though slow, is gradually taking shape, Prof Adebukunola Adefule-Ositelu, Chairman, National Expert Committee for Research and Development in Natural Medicine (NECRDENM) has said.

    The country, according to her, is on the path of developing her own internationally acceptable herbal drugs.

    Last year, President Goodluck Jonathan charged the Health Minister, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu to constitute a committee to develop five world-class herbal drugs that can be marketable internationally.

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) inaugurated the committee to develop herbal drugs to treat chronic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, hepatitis and kidney failure.

    Adefule-Ositelu said NAFDAC was doing its best, adding that it was hampered by lack of equipment for clinical trials, among others. “This is because a lot of animal experiments have to be done before the drugs are tried on humans. The toxicology of drugs to know if they are toxic and training of practitioners are necessary. Another problem with herbal drugs is that most of them are not evidence-based and for any drug to be acceptable internationally, it must be scientifically proven beyond reasonable doubt,” she said.

    Mrs Adefule-Ositelu, who is a member of the committee, said the Federal Government should liaise with universities for more analysis and clinical works on herbal drugs because the country has good vegetation and personnel.

    NAFDAC, she said, had set up sub-committees to drive the programme, adding that it was also trying to get model clinics where drugs identified can be tested on patients. “A local committee based in Abuja has been meeting. The problem is that members are scattered across the country. So the logistics have not been favourable.

    “But the major problem is funding. Research works are not cheap to do. Clinical trials, tests for toxicology and efficacy of drugs cost money,” she added.

    She said there was need to build trust because traditional medicine practitioners are afraid to put down their formulas. “Some think once they submit what they have it will be taken away from them. But this is not true. So, there is need for collaboration between the orthodox medicine practitioners and the traditional practitioners,” Mrs Adefule-Ositelu said.

    She said Nigeria has anti-cancer drugs, which were developed from natural vegetation, adding 20 different preparations that can cure malaria are available. “The country also has 20 products that can lower blood sugar of diabetics,” she said.

    She said: “I know cancer patients who refused to have surgery, chemotherapy and radiation but used herbal remedies and they were cured.”

    She said there should be colleges to train traditional medicine practitioners, adding that they should know their limitations.

    Pharmacists, she said, should do more research on natural products. “So many of them that were discovered to be potent have not be developed for commercial purpose,” she said.

    Some ailments, she said, were already being treated with herbal drugs because “you won’t see patients with haemorrhage in hospital wards as they prefer traditional remedy.”

    She called on the government on the need to establish a body that will bridge the gap between the orthodox and traditional medicine practice and develop drugs for the country.

    Prof Adefule-Ositelu said training should be organised for the practitioners in each state. “Lagos is the only state that is moving the traditional medicine forward,” she added.

    She identified inferiority complex as a factor affecting the growth of traditional medicine. “We need to have confidence in ourselves; we will be courageous enough to do things that will move the country forward,” she said.

    She said she got involved in herbal medicine by providence, adding, “I was at LUTH where I was practicing when a patient introduced me to garcina kola, which I developed.”

    She said the herbal drug is used to treat glaucoma. “I got the consent of the ethics committee and it was used on eight different animals in LUTH. Its side effects were less on animals compared to orthodox medicine. It cleared my son’s redness of the eye. He picked the formula on the shelf and tried it while I was away and it worked. That gave us insight to its antibiotic property,” she said.

    Mrs Adefule-Ositelu said the herbal drug has helped to address popular discharges from the eyes, adding that it worked when tested on cultured bacteria because it inhibited their growth. It cleared popular eye infection such as conjuctivities, which in local parlance is called Apollo. It has antiviral property.

    “Having discovered the intraocular lowering effect of the drug on laboratory animals, we went ahead to use it on glaucoma patients and it worked.

    “We presented it at World Ophthalmology Congress (WOC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE),” she said.

    The professor of Ophthalmology said the country can produce internationally acceptable herbal drugs. “If on a small scale I can achieve on garcina kola for glaucoma, we should encourage the practitioners to come forward with their preparations and help to develop them. In fact, Nigeria already has herbal drugs that are of international standards, it only needs to bring the practitioners together get their formula and do clinical trials on them,” she said.

  • Police Games will produce future talents, says Akinsola

    Police Games will produce future talents, says Akinsola

    ACP Gideon Akinsola, the Chief Security Officer of the Super Eagles, said on Monday that the Nigeria Police Force had abundant talents that could do the country proud in competitions.

    Akinsola made the remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. The officer spoke against the backdrop of the beginning of the 10th Biennial Police Games on Sunday in Port Harcourt.

    “We know the importance of the games, it has an enviable record and we are optimistic that more world class talents will be produced to make the NPF and the nation proud. We are aiming at producing another generation of talents in the mould of Chioma Ajunwa and late Sunday Bada. The police games is about the discovery and nurturing of budding talents to stardom,’’ the officer said.

    NAN reports that the games began on March 1, with all the police units in the country featuring in the 10-day fiesta.

    It would be recalled that the NPF had over the years produced world class talents including Samuel Peters, Ajunwa, late Bada and Sunny Oyarekhua.

  • Covenant Varsity urged to produce Nobel laureates

    The Covenant University (CU), Ota, Ogun state has been urged to work towards producing Nobel Laureates in the next decade by boosting the research capacity of its students and academics.

    Delivering the school’s 10th Anniversary Lecture, titled: “Covenant University at Ten: Looking Back, Looking Forward” yesterday, the Pro-Chancellor of Crawford University, Prof. Peter Okebukola said among other steps, the university should invest in globally-relevant research; partner with highflying universities abroad, especially and seek out training opportunities with living Nobel Laureates.

    Okebukola said: “Significant efforts should be invested in capacity building of CU researchers and fostering partnerships with renowned researchers outside Africa.

    “Tutelage under Nobel-prize winners is another pathway. Training CU graduates under the wings of Nobel Prize winners will foster cultivation of research methodologies, attitudes and values needed to be a prize winner.

    “CU should undertake a study of institutional location of Nobel Prize winners and seek partnership with such institutions and centres where the Laureates are serving.

    “Bright graduates, preferably first-class degree holders, can be carefully selected to undertake postgraduate education in such centres. We should begin to fade out the vogue of partnerships with little known universities and laser focus on one or two outstanding universities and programmes where Nobel Prize winners serve.”

    Okebukola also underscored the need for the university to improve on its physical infrastructure, train teachers to deliver the curriculum in more practical and innovative ways, and strengthen some programmes it wishes to be known for.

    “The suggestion to mount new programmes should be seen alongside the need for CU to be noted for particular programmes as national or regional centre of excellence. CU authorities should undertake an assessment of the comparative strengths of the programmes being run and strengthen those identified to be the flagship in the coming years,” he said.

  • ‘It’s our turn to produce president in 2015’

    The Middle Belt Youth Leaders’ Forum (MYLF) has urged politicians and political parties to focus on the Middle Belt geo-political zone in the search for the president in 2015.

    In a communiqué issued after a Consultative Assembly of the MYLF, the group said the choice of a president from the region would help to end the North-South controversy that is tearing the country apart.

    The communiqué, which was signed by Mallam Hamid Usman, Comrade Philip Agbese and Mr. Jonah Nabut, said it is time for Nigerians to reward the political maturity, generosity and sportsmanship of the Middle Belt since the country’s return to democratic rule in 1999.

    The group said the political parties in Nigeria have enjoyed a fair share of patronage and goodwill across the Middle Belt and should consider fielding a candidate from the region in the next presidential election.

    The communiqué noted that the group’s call should not be equated with supporting mediocrity, as qualified persons from the Middle Belt would submit to a national scrutiny before contesting election.

    It said, in addition to finding a middle ground in the nation’s troubled polity, the other geo-political zones would be acting in a just manner by allowing Middle Belt to produce a democratically-elected leader for the country.

  • Delta 2015: Will Anioma produce the governor?

    Delta 2015: Will Anioma produce the governor?

    The question which has dominated public discourse in Delta State for some time now is whether the gubernatorial ambition of the Anioma people from the Delta North Senatorial District will be realized in 2015.

    In the face of stiff opposition by other ethnic groups, including the numerically superior Urhobo from the central senatorial district, the Anioma group, undoubtedly, have a mountain to climb in their quest to occupy the Government House, Asaba.

    The Anioma ethnic group’s claim to the top job is hinged largely on the rotational policy, which may count for nothing in the rough and tumble of Delta politics.

    The Urhobo ethnic group has not hidden its desire to reclaim the governorship position since Chief James Ibori left office and has left no one in doubt in that regard.

    In the build-up to the 2015 election, the tribe have remained the most visible, judging from the plethora of political platforms that have mushroomed over the last few months.

    These groups include the Urhobo Political Forum (UPF) led by Chief Ighoyota Amori, the Urhobo Political Congress (UPC) headed by Sir Tom Amioku and the Delta Central Political Movement (DCPM) led by Olori Magege.

    The mobilization and sensitization of the grassroots within the zone are on, but the reverse is the case in the Ibo- speaking areas of Delta North where there is perceived lethargy.

    The Delta South Senatorial District, which currently occupies the office, may decide to hang onto power with the emergence of an Ijaw candidate. This will effectively kill the Anioma dream, should it receive the backing of Chief E.K Clark.

    In this regard, the Minister of Niger-Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, who is nursing a gubernatorial ambition, may get the slot.

    But Protem Chairman, Anioma Agenda (AA), Mr. Alex Onwuadiamu, denies that political actors in Delta North are disunited and uncoordinated in their 2015 calculations.

    He said Anioma will ensure that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) abides by the principle of zoning and rotation of public offices. He claimed that these are enshrined in the Nigeria Constitution and the Constitution of the ruling PDP.

    “What we are saying is that the principle of zoning and rotation of public offices as enshrined in the Constitution of Nigeria and the Constitution of the PDP be adhered to.

    “The governorship of Delta State has gone to central senatorial zone, it is now in the south senatorial zone and by that principle come 2015, and it will be the turn of Anioma people to produce the governor for Delta state that is all we are asking for”, he stressed.

    Onwuadiamu disagrees with the perception of complacence and perceived disunity among politicians of Anioma stock, stressing that the Anioma people will soon begin the process of sensitizing the populace.

    Onwudiamu said no political zone can win election in the state without the support of other groups, adding that the need to work with other stakeholders cannot be ignored.

    “How we will go about it is by consultation. We have said that we will consult with our brothers and sisters in the south and central districts, quite a lot of them are already working with us. We will mobilise our people, we will sensitise the entire populace on the need for equity and justice. Very soon there will be a lot of town hall meetings, seminars, symposia on this same issue. We are not just starting with a road show; we are consulting our people quietly and simultaneously.

    “We are consulting different political stakeholders on the need for equity, unity and justice in our polity. It is not something we can do alone, Delta State is made up of three senatorial zones and if any zone, like we have seen in the last election, feels that it can do it alone it will always meet with failure. That is why we will always seek for reasonable partnership from the south and central, that is how elections are won in Delta State. This one is not going to be an exception”, he added.

    A big obstacle to the realization of the Anioma dream is the considerable large number of wealthy and influential aspirants within the PDP who may refuse to step down for each other, thus leading to bitterness and rancour within the party.

    This may force many to seek their political fortunes elsewhere which would automatically deplete or divide an otherwise Anioma block vote for one of their own.

    Although none have declared his intention,apart from former Delta Commissioner of Finance Chief Clement Ofuani, one does not require the services of a clairvoyant to know that the under top politicians are eying the top job.

    These include the Speaker of Delta State House of Asembly, Mr. Victor Ochei, who represents Aniocha North Constituency; Ndudi Elumelu, member of House of Representatives from Aniocha/ Oshimili Federal Constituency, Senator Arthur Okowa from Delta North District, ex-presidential aide Dr Cairo Ojougboh, and Chief Godson Obielum. But, Governor Uduaghan’s Chief of Staff Dr Festus Okubor is said to be the dark horse.

    Others from different political parties are multi-millionaire businessman Okocha and Democratic People’s Party candidate in the 2010 senatorial election Mr. Ned Nwoko. Political watchers believe that this will work against the emergence of an Anioma person as candidate.

    Pundits believe a consensus candidate will be difficult as Anioma lacks a true leader with considerable political clout. Besides, signs of disunity may have started rearing its ugly head as the major opposition party, Democratic People’s Party (DPP), whose chairman is an Anioma son, Chief Tony Ezeagwu, dismissed such sentiments.

    He said his party will support any Deltan that emerges through a democratic process, stressing that DPP will not turn back any aspirant on the basis of ethnic consideration.

    According to him, the DPP does not recognise the principle of zoning within its ranks. His words: “I am a man with a very broad mind. When you talk about Anioma people clamouring, I will not say what anybody is doing is wrong or right or I am supporting or not supporting. The issue is I am in DPP and the state chairman for that matter.

    “You know that it has been clamoured long ago in PDP that Anioma man must be their candidate based on their zoning arrangement which I am not part of. As far I am concerned if an Anioma man comes to my party to take form, I will not deny him. And if an Urhobo man comes to take form, I will not deny him either because in my party there is no zoning arrangement for now, our party is open for all Deltans. What we believe in is not even who governs the state but who gives the people what they want, dividends of democracy. When you clamour Anioma, Anioma, Anioma, are you telling us that Anioma people were not in Ibori’s government”?

    Ezeagwu added: “Anioma man was a deputy governor in Ibori’s government, we had a lot of them who were commissioners, who were board chairmen, what did they achieve? At a time, I took a full page newspaper advertorial in a national daily calling on our people in PDP to protest and resign because of marginalisation against the Anioma nation.

    “The issue was that they created wards and made all the wards in the central and south two each, all the wards were divided into two each. And as at the time, Delta north had the highest local governments of 9, the then deputy governor his local government he could not add 10 wards to make it 20. The only thing they did was to add four. Even in Ika North East that hitherto had 14 wards could not attain 20 but those that were 10 in central and south senatorial districts got additional 10. So Delta north was completely marginalised and I called on our people in PDP as at the time that they must protest and resign but nobody listened to me and it is still like this till tomorrow.”

    Stakeholders agree that Chief Clark will play a major role in the emergence of the flag bearer.

    The Ijaw leader had opposed the imposition of Governor Uduaghan in 2007 by former Governor James Ibori and 2015 presents an opportunity for the Clark faction to wrest power with Ibori, who is in a British prison.

    Despite assurances of rapprochement between Uduaghan and Chief Clark’s factions, political analysts are of the opinion that the 2015 Delta governorship election is a struggle for political power between these two factions in Delta State than simply a struggle by the Anioma ethnic group for power.