The National Biotechnology Developement Agency(NABDA), has a mandate to mitigate through research, innovations and discoveries the production of foods,crops,drugs and other essentials for the well being of Nigerians.
This is in line with the mandate of the organization to ensuring food for all round the year, as well as food security for the country.
Grand Breaking Ceremony of the National Secretariat of the Biotechnology Society of Nigeria at the National Biotec Office, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua way, Lugbe. Abuja
Under the new Management of Professor Alex Casmir Uwadiegwu,many innovations, collaborations, partnerships and synergy that will guarantee food security and abundance of consumables in Nigeria at affordable and accessible pricing to ordinary Nigerians is put in place.
The Professor of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, combined the verse and in-depth experience along with knowledgeable experts within and outside the shores of the country, to bridge the gap of food scarcity that may arouse out of epileptic yields, dwindling species and lack of foresight capable of creating drought,food scarcity and health challenges in Nigeria.
Under his watch,in the last two years and to reduce the Influx of newly discovered GMO into the country to the barest minimum,efforts were been redoubled to introduce improved species in crops,fruits,drugs,using the bio-systems meant to address such eventualities, as well as maintain the current ones that had preclude the influx of substandard foreign goods,with positive effects on both large, subsistence and mechanised farming in the country.
This is also in addition to introduction of some species of cash crops as well as maintain the existing ones, capable of generating more incomes in tax and revenue to the country,with a view to stabilising the financial base geared towards improving the economy.
Provision of high yield yam tubers,fruits, Tomatoes, Oranges and Mangoes as well as post harvest storage and processing to avoid economic waste is at the front burner of the agency, to encourage both collaborative from indigenous and foreign agencies, as well as local consumption and encourages importation.
The invention of various bio-systems to encourage storage,processing,provide alternative energy, encourage irrigation farming,cattle ranching to improve supply of meats and abhor farmers/ herders crises that had taken another negative toll in our polity.
A healthy nation,is a wealthy nation,as no nation thrives under an atmosphere of myriads of health challenges, both for preventive and cure of various ailements.
NABDA under the new Management had prioritise research into production of new drugs, sustenance of the existing, effective and affordable ones,along with efforts to explore new areas like COVID-19 vaccines, in liason with drugs producing companies and some International agencies.
The production of drugs for child killer diseases and other global ailements like Lassa Fever,Ebola, Malaria and others will ensure a healthy nation to improve the well being of Nigerians.
This is also in addition to production of fish in large quantities across the riverine areas of the country, including it’s storage and protection from related diseases.
Aside the invention of bio-storage to protect both the new and old initiatives,efforts had been put in place to ensure an up to date information on products, know as bio-informatics of all the existing and new products, that will guarantee all year round development of both foods,crops,drugs and vaccines.
The production of vaccines for the newly discovered scourge, particularly the causative agents of COVID-19 and others, in collaboration with both local and foreign agencies to nip in the bud, as well as reduce to the barest minimum the health hazards of the new and existing scourge is at top stage by the leadership of the agency.
These efforts under the new leadership of NABDA, is responsible for the security of lives and properties through food security, that had address the usual food shortages and scarcity in Nigeria.
Also,The Management under Professor Casmir Akpa did not live any stone unturned to ensure a robust Service delivery through a conducive atmosphere of learning, research and strict observance of Job schedules,in the Agency.
Hence the Inauguration of Multi-Million Naira edifice as the new office complex, is an indication of vote of confidence on the Management and leadership of the Agency by the Federal Government.
In doing this,an enabling environment is created with a view to ensuring more collaborations, innovations and synergies to relive more breakthroughs in all ramifications.
This will address the decades of hindered perfomance through paucity of office accommodation to staffs and research fellows, who daily throng the agency either to initiate or divulge more areas of research and developement.
It will also motivate the staffs towards positive productivity,reserach fellows both within and outside Nigeria geared towards achieving a major strides in bio sytstems and advancement.
John Audu
For OBSERVERS TIMES.