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Step Up Sensitization To Curb Community Infection, NYSC DG Charges Corps Members

Published

4 years ago

April 22, 2020

Joel Ajayi

The Director General of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Brig Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim on wednesday commended the Corps Members nationwide for rising to the national emergency to confront the pandemic charged them to take the battle a notch higher by stepping up sensitisation of communities, in order to stem the tide of community infection, which at present is the stage of infection in the country.

He gave this charge when NYSC Coordinator, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Hajia Walida Sidiqque, led staff and Corps Members to present hand sanitisers and disinfectant soaps, produced by the FCT Corps Members to the Director — General of the Scheme, Brig Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim in his office in support of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Its on records that, Corps Medical Personnel have also been giving their best nationwide in the fight against the deadly virus. Apart from administering medical treatment, they are also involved in the distribution of relief materials and sensitisation of Nigerians on the pandemic.

In a statement signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations Adenike Adeyemi (Mrs) on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to the Gen Ibrahim while extolling the diligence and patriotic spirit of the Corps Members charged them to turn the challenge of the present situation to opportunities.

Accordingly, he challenged the Corps Engineers to produce a ventilator which is a critical need in the fight against COVID — 19.

He expressed optimism in the ability of the Corps Members to take up the challenge, noting that they represent the most enlightened and talented class of Nigerian youths with abundance of potentials.

While reinforcing the centrality of the Corps in nation building, for which the nation places a high premium on the members, the DG admonished them to stay safe by adhering strictly to the protocols of COVID-19 as released by the National Centre for Disease Control.

He was full of appreciation to the Federal and various State Governments, in addition to some NYSC stakeholders for supporting Corps Members to showcase their potentials for the benefit of the nation.

Meanwhile, Corps Members had earlier produced and donated to the Federal and State Governments, as well as some host communities and individuals, face masks, foot — operated liquid soap, water and hand sanitiser — dispenser.

While similar items was donated to the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory in order to give veritable boost to the fight against the scourge which has claimed 25 lives in the country, as at Tuesday 21th April, 2020, and over 170,000 lives globally.

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RMRDC: Making Giant Strides Under Prof. Nnanyelugo Martins Ike-Muonso

Published

13 hours ago

September 19, 2024

The Gleamer

By Joel Ajayi

As we embark on a journey, we always pray for an able, experienced, and courageous driver, pilot, or sailor depending on the means of transportation.

This is because the captain will have enough experience and boldness to navigate out of turbulence and to bring all the passengers and crew to the intended destination.

Interestingly, these fine qualities of ability, experience, boldness, and many more, abound in the man, Prof. Nnanyelugo Martins Ike-Muonso, who we all are pleased was appointed the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, RMRDC, the Director General/CEO by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a few months ago. This is because he has brought his knowledge, ability, experience, and doggedness to bear in carrying out his assignment in charge of the Council.

The RMRDC, operating under the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, is pivotal in driving Nigeria’s industrial growth by optimizing local raw materials exploitation, development, and utilization. RMRDC, ab initio, was conceived as a child of necessity when Nigeria was reeling from the throes of global recession and plummeting crude oil prices.

Without an iota of doubt, today, the council is experiencing a transformation with massive innovation in raw material exploitation, development, and utilization, supporting business and industrial growth, and contributing to Nigeria’s economic prosperity.

Speaking during a press briefing on Tuesday, in Abuja to commemorate his 100 days in office, he said the council is laying a solid foundation through numerous innovations that will further enhance growth in the country.

According to him, “In the past 100 days, my strategic pursuits have been to lay solid foundations for enduring success in these goals.

“Upon assuming this position, I set five crucial deliverables which include, refocusing the Council as a premier research institution; Strengthening the Council’s productivity and operational efficiency; and Significantly improving the staff welfare to be the best in the class of similar organizations.

“Others include, Boosting the Council’s visibility and instituting remarkable culture change that encourages ownership and productivity as well as Strengthening and deepening the Council’s place in the international arena.”While speaking on his Achievements so far, the DG revealed further: “My first task, therefore, was to implement a strategic goal-setting for the Council’s staff to define and set out clear objectives and targets to be achieved by the Council within a specified period towards refocusing on this historical mandate. We unleashed five significant initiatives in that regard.

“The nationwide raw material data collection exercise that focused on technical and investment information to drive our mission forward.

“The restructuring and renaming of the former Technology Innovation Complex (TIC), at the Obasanjo Space Center at Airport Road, Abuja, to a Research and Demonstration Plants Complex (RDPC). This complex will be Africa’s first center of excellence in raw material research, featuring state-of-the-art laboratories, technology development workshops, and proof of concept demonstrations.

“We have reactivated the Council’s Journal and repositioned it internationally. The repositioned Journal of Raw Material Research (JORMAR) will host RMRDC’s researchers’ publications, which are crucial in promoting awareness, facilitating knowledge sharing, and informing stakeholders about the opportunities and challenges in Nigeria’s raw materials sector. “The collaboration with universities and academies will strengthen our capacity for conducting market-guided research, ensuring sustained workforce training while deepening our orientation in science.

“The council has reformulated a new template for all our research proposals to ensure and sustain a clear departure from the old culture of blue-sky and deliberately endless research.”Speaking further, Prof Nwanyelugo Martins Ike-Muonso stated that Staff welfare remains a top priority as an issue of unpaid salaries is settled as well as set up a comprehensive welfare program. “Similarly, we established the RMRDC Training School to sustainably build our staff and stakeholders’ capacity to further the staff welfare improvement goal.

“We are committed to openness, inclusiveness, and performance management and have initiated steps to continuously improve staff ownership, orchestrate transformative culture change, boost our corporate visibility, and enhance.

“To further strengthen our visibility and communication strategies, we are upgrading our media infrastructure, which includes the launch of the RMRDC online media platform, The RMRDC TV Online.

“Additionally, we are working hard to effectively enhance the intellectual property and patent portfolio of RMRDC from its current 40 to approximately 200 new patents within the next 24 months. This proactive approach secures valuable IP assets and positions the Council as a leader in innovation within the raw materials sector, contributing to Nigeria’s overall economic growth.“As well as launching an e-registration and certification portal to enhance transparency in the raw materials sector,” DG revealed.

He however reaffirmed his commitment to reshape the future of research, technology, and innovation, driving Nigeria towards an industrially vibrant and technologically resilient economy.

“As I mark 100 days in office, I boldly say that the Council is on the verge of rewriting its history.

“I believe that in no distant future, RMRDC will play a leading role in enhancing raw materials’ development to boost raw materials’ industrial trial processing and attain sustainable industrial growth in Nigeria.

The DG, however, applauded the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, for his unwavering support and mentorship, saying the Minister’s leadership has been instrumental in the progress made so far.

In his opening remarks, the Directorate of Corporate Affairs, Mr Chucks Ngaha commended the hard-working DG who has weathered the storm further to put the Council on the ladder of more prosperity.

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