NOTAP, PZ partnership to fast-track local content initiative – Onu

Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology, said the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), one of the seventeen parastatals under the Ministry and PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc. partnership was capable of fast-tracking the local content initiative of the present government.

Dr. Onu made this remark during the commissioning of the state- of- the- art Chemical Analysis Equipment donated by PZ Cussons Plc. to upgrade the Chemistry laboratory of the University of Calabar, Cross River State, adding that the country can no longer continue to be a consumer nation but rather endeavour to upgrade her innovation facilities so that indigenous products and services could be developed and utilized.

He explained that the world has shifted focus from resource to knowledge based economy so that no country will be acknowledged without being technologically relevant and competitive to the extent of producing world class products and services from its knowledge industry.

He highlighted that the donation of the laboratory equipment to UNICAL and two other institutions by PZ commenced with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP.

Dr. DanAzumi Mohammed Ibrahim, Director General of NOTAP, in his opening remarks, disclosed that in the cause of carrying out the registration of technology transfer agreements which is the primary function of NOTAP, it was discovered that over 90 percent of the technology powering the Nigerian economy are foreign, which was not very healthy for a country that is striving to develop.

The DG NOTAP explained that the partnership began when the agency observed that most of the research and laboratory analysis of the multinationals in Nigeria are carried out outside the country due to lack of state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and other research facilities in the country.

NOTAP, he added then approached PZ Cussons Plc. to assist in upgrading the laboratory of some universities to ensure that high level laboratory analysis are carried out within the country.

He pointed out that there was need for the multinational companies to give back to the society through what he termed ‘Corporate Social Investment’ so as to launch Nigeria into the league of technologically self-sufficient nations.

PZ Cussons Nig. Plc, he said keyed into this by donating the sum of N115 million for equipment and logistics to upgrade the chemical laboratories of the University of Calabar, Moddibo Adama University of Technology (MAUTECH) Yola and National Research Institute for Chemical Technology(NARICT), Zaria.

He hinted that MAUTECH and UNICAL have been commissioned while NARICT will be commissioned before the end of the first quarter of this year.

He commended PZ Cussons Nig. Plc. for showing a high sense of responsibility to the nation through this partnership, stressing that it is through such gesture that Nigeria will eventually transform her knowledge into socio-economic solutions and assets that will bring about sustainable national development.

On his part, Mr. Christos Giannopoulos Chief Executive Officer of PZ Cussons Plc., said he was glad that the MOU signed some months ago with NOTAP, and the three benefiting institutions has started yielding results with the successful commissioning of two laboratories.

Giannopoulos stated that PZ Cussons Plc. is involved in supporting research and education as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, adding that in the last few years, the company had executed 55 capital projects spread across the six geopolitical zones of the country, while 80 percent of the projects in the area of educational development.

He underscored the fact that formulation of products involves laboratory research, hence upgrading of Laboratories in Universities and Research Institutes was very crucial in the discovery of solution to the company’s production challenges.