By Bello Hamza
Members of the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations in Kaduna State, under the stewardship of Comrade Zubairu Mukhtar A (Yariman Santurakin Makera) have lauded the efforts and developmental strides of the Director General and CEO of National Research Institute for Chemical Technology, Zaria, they display his score card at a press conference held at Arewa house Kaduna on 25 February 2021. The statement goes below.
“We would like to appreciate the giant strides and doggedness of His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari in your fight against corruption and ensuring the principles of good governance in the Public Sector.
This call today, has become very pertinent upon us as youths, progressive minds who have the interest of the good people of Kaduna State and Nigeria at large at heart to come forth as a formidable team to commend the transformational agenda and giant strides of Prof Jeffrey T. Barminas; the Director-General of the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology, Zaria.
His leadership qualities have earned him several Leadership awards from both community groups and beyond.”
NARICT under the leadership of Prof Jeffrey as Director General has recorded several developments and transformational overhaul which is not limited to:
Research and Innovation
An overview of some of the technological achievements recorded are presented thus:
NARICT Multifunctional Pyrolysis Rector: This reactor designed by NARICT researchers is an upscale on NARICT’s original research breakthrough; on conversion of solid waste like polyethylene packages, tyres, polymer belts, agricultural wastes, etc into useful liquid fuels and green chemicals, oil, kerosene, diesel and gas. In other words, the reactor converts lignocellulosic biomass and biowaste, and other plastic wastes into renewable fuels and has the capacity to produce green chemicals and other chemical materials. This innovatory indigenous feat at NARICT is putting Nigeria in a good stead to combat the menace of industrial wastes and clean up the environment nationwide.
NARICT Decontamination Laboratories: These laboratories are meant to build indigenous capacity against chemical attacks and others. Researchers at the Institute are accurately aware of the dangers posed to National Security from possible chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear from enemies of Nigeria including single wolf attacks by terrorists using improvised explosive devices (IEDs). For National Security response therefore, NARICT is building Nigeria’s first facilities to prevent, detect and combat these attacks and growing indigenous capacity to mitigate these threats in the country.”
Utilization of Indigenous Technologies in Salt production, Intermediate Chemicals and Electrolysis of Brine for production of Chlorine Gas and Sodium Hydroxide: There is large deposit of salt in Nigeria particularly in Ebonyi, Nasarawa, Benue and Katsina States which are untapped. Consequently, Nigeria spends huge amount of foreign exchange on importation of salt and its derivatives. Currently, NARICT Salt Utilization Pilot Plant Project is conceived for that. This project aims to use a membrane technology to produce chlorine, caustic soda, sodium hypochlorite, bleaching agents, disinfectant, deodorizing agents, etc. By this salt utilization and diffusing the technology nationwide, NARICT would help to enhance job and wealth creation as well as optimal utilization of Nigeria’s abundant salt deposit.
Building National Capacity in Chemical Adhesives Production from Renewable Resources: Nigeria heavily imports adhesives and binders for applications in the shoes, leather, wood, textile, paper, paints and coatings industries and consumes scares forex each year. Keying into the patriotic spirit which informed Presidential Executive Order No.5 which President Muhammadu Buhari issued in February 2018 and aimed at boosting Nigerian Content in Science, Engineering and Technology among other sectors, NARICT is leading a charge to build local capacity in the production of adhesives/binders to create jobs and save forex for the nation. The NARICT Adhesives which are based on 90% local raw materials were formulated to improve the quality of Made-in-Nigeria shoes and other products such as upholstery and garments merchandise, woods, paper, etc.
“Infrastructural Development
A surfeit of phenomenal infrastructural expansion was also recorded in the past three years at NARICT, which has seen to rapid transformations of the Institute’s landscape based on its original master plan as more laboratories and related infrastructure (roads/drainages, Street lightening, water supply system, dedicated power line, etc) were built and more under construction to support research. Of great note here are the 30-million volume E-Granary Library, salt utilization and adhesive pilot plants (to support the Nigerian leather and fine chemicals industries, and maggot-processing pilot plant (for the poultry industries) on a national scale.
Infrastructural development was also extended to the establishment of NARICT Outstations in the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria to cascade research solutions to industries and the grassroots nationwide.
These developments have led to a substantial increase in research capacity/expertise and proliferation in NARICT’s collaborations/partnerships with other research agencies/centres and universities in Nigeria and globally.”
Staff Motivation/Capacity Building
Staff motivation and capacity building was vigorously pursued in the period under scrutiny through a comprehensive overhaul of the Institute’s Management Organogram, clearance of decade-long outstanding promotion exercises (deliberately stagnated in non-ethical tribal, ethno-religious sentiments, etc), local and international training/conference attendance by Members of Staff across all cadres on the Institute’s sponsorship, etc. These have served to re-motivate a deflated Members of Staff which the DG/CEO met on assumption of office in 2017.
The avalanche of cutting-edge research projects initiated, the groundbreaking results obtained there from and the prodigious, high-impact conference papers written and published by NARICT staff speak volume of the hitherto untapped potential of NARICT staffers, which is being unlocked under the visionary leadership of Prof. Jeffery T. Barminas. Suffices to add that the prevailing conducive environment for research in the Institute is unprecedented in its chequered history.
Overview of New Grounds in Chemical Research Technologies
NARICT on the watch of Prof. Jeffery T. Barminas as DG/CEO has broken new grounds in chemical research technologies in the past three years and continues to do so today. The achievements already highlighted were engendered via visionary leadership, hard-work, team play, due process and imaginative collaborations with all stakeholders — the Mother Ministry, Governing Board, Management and Staff, etc.
“Doubtless, NARICT has been re-installed on the path of nation-building for sustainable indigenous capacity and competence in cutting-edge chemical inventions/technologies, upscale, regional spread and national uptake in Nigeria.
We are poised to do more in the 2020-2021 fiscal year and in the future, with a view to taking Nigeria to the Next Level” of national rebirth in accordance with the developmental roadmap of the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration.
There has been a surfeit of phenomenal feats recorded in NARICT under the stewardship of Professor Jeffrey T. Barminas. These have seen to a rapid transformation of the Institute’s research capacity and expertise in chemical technology in line with its founding mandate
Premised on the above submission, we are proud to be associated with NARICT under the able leadership of Prof Jeffrey T. Barminas and his exemplary leadership style that would take NARICT to the next level.
We want to appreciate the Federal Government who appointed a personality of inestimable character and an academic juggernaut as the Director-General and we are proud to say that having him as a Director General for a Second Term would not only take NARICT to the next level but also compliment the next level agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari.”
Information is power and we are proud to say that we have gotten all we said at our fingers tip and evidence is in the Magazine we have compiled and presented before Nigerians today.
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, fellow comrades’ good afternoon and thank you for coming and God bless you all.”
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