There is no doubt that several agencies under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology have discharged their responsibilities creditably. These agencies have come up with several innovations and discoveries that were Nigerian leadership populated by personalities who have deserved the interest of the nation, at heart much of the challenges being faced by the country would not have even occurred in the first place. From research agencies in the agricultural sector, transportation, to aviation, health, to education, and even ICT and innovation, there are plethora of scientific research that can be put in place to resolve much of the nation’s challenges.
Take for instance, innovative discoveries published by the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC). This government agency which debuted following the outcome of a workshop on industrial matters organized by then Federal Ministry of Industry Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the Nigeria Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER) in July 1983, and backed by the RMRDC Act, Cap R.3 LFN, 24, was set up with the vision to transform to an indispensable catalyst for industrial growth and development in Nigeria.
It was established at a time when dwindling foreign exchange earnings from petroleum was expended to import raw materials and products which were available or could be competitively produced in Nigeria. Today, it is Nigeria’s focal point for the development and utilization of the nation’s vast industrial raw materials resources, thus facilitating the establishment of new resource-based industries which in turn provide new job opportunities and contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Among its mandate as set out in the Act are: Draw up policy guidelines and action programmes on raw materials acquisition, exploitation and development review from time to time, raw material resources availability and utilization with a view to advising the Federal Government on the strategic implication of depletion, conservation or stock-pilling of such resources and advise on adoption of machinery and processes for raw materials utilization.
Aside from helping the development of viable entrepreneurs, RMRDC applies the triple helix in facilitating the emergence of raw materials processing clusters and in providing equipment of common facilities in addition to injecting science, technology and innovativeness into existing clusters.
Under Prof. Hussaini D. Ibrahim, the current Director-General of the Council, in collaboration with several universities and sister research agencies and international bodies, RMRDC has over 40 research outputs that are awaiting for off-take by industry giants. These include the development of prototype leather glazing machines, to replace the use of bottles to impact gloss (luster), in the leather tanning process. Also there is the automated Rapier Weaving Machine, developed for the production of Aso-oke fabric, used mainly in the South-West part of the country chieftaincy and other cultural displays. A key discovery is the development of the Gypsum Scrubber utilized in the cement and POP production. It is currently 75% imported by the cement industry but with the discovery, Nigeria is sure to produce high quality gypsum now in high demand globally.
A key article of industry manufactured by the Council is the Automotive Brake Pad. This particular article which is utilized in over 50 million vehicles, Keke and motorcycles which ply the vast road network in the country, is very instructive. This product was produced from palm kernel shell wastes, which abound everywhere in the country. But, it is a pity that the Nigerian government, rather than encourage industries to invest in the manufacture of this local and certainly better brake pad, is still even encouraging its Ministries, Departments and Agencies to still patronize foreign-made brake pads. Attempt by the Innoson Motor Vehicle Limited to start manufacturing such, including the ones that can fit into our war and commercial planes, have not seen the light of the day.
In collaboration with several universities in the North Central part of the country, RMRDC has addressed the challenges posed by dehulling/dehusking acha (hungry rice), thereby eliminating all the labourious methods being currently adopted and making its production more efficient. But, get to the market and see that procuring acha is not an easy task as its prices continued to soar due to non-utilisation of the research output in the agric sector.
There is also the innovative manufacture of cashew nut shell liquid, which has the potential for over N24 billion annual worth in export and with capacity to engage close to one billion people in employment in the industry. This singular item, a by-product of the cashew industry, found in abundance in almost all parts of southern Nigeria, enjoys versatile application in the polymer-based industries such as friction linings, paints and varnishes, laminating resins, rubber compounding resins, polyurethane-based polymers, surfactants, epoxy resins, foundry chemicals and intermediates in the chemical industry.
Also in our universities, there have been the innovation of manufacturing electric motor cars at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri. Several other innovative outcomes have been made by even artisans who demonstrated their capacity for the manufacture of a multi-purpose vehicle that can run on the road, fly in the air like an aeroplane and on the sea like a ship, yet, our political leaders see these and still prefer to look away.
It is also very disheartening that our leaders who have made medical tourism their next most priced activity second only to fleecing our resources abroad and acquiring property abroad, are fully aware of all these innovations capable of not just strengthening the Naira that is fast becoming a tissue paper, but they chose to further pretend that they are patriotic even when doctors and nurses that attend to them in the foreign hospitals they have now made their choices for as simple as medical checks, are not just Nigerians but graduates of Nigerian medical colleges and holders of certificates awarded by the various professional bodies in the medical practice in the country.
It is a shame that while there is a very easy route to improving on the value of the Naira and even make it out-compete most of the foreign currencies, our leaders chose to live in denials, chasing shadows and continue to pretend as if the route to escaping from our self-inflicted economic doom is far-fetched. Our problems, just like the current insecurity ravaging the country are product of unpatriotic act of our political leaders.
The way out of the current quagmire is quite simple and available, what is lacking is the political will of the leadership to do what is right and face the reality. If we chose to continue to tow the path we are in, so long shall we continue to face Armageddon, which is unnecessary had we decided to do what is right, even for a moment. What we need is the right political will, the research base are there and the technocrats have played their part. Anytime we wish, we get to the promised land. The options are with us let us please chose to do what is right.
QUOTES
1. There is also the innovative manufacture of cashew nut shell liquid, which has the potential for over N24 billion annual worth in export
2.Our problems, just like the current insecurity ravaging the country are product of unpatriotic act of our political leaders
